He looks up, and stares at the sky as we walk.
`I have no idea which way the sun is. This twilight is so strange.' he says. `I also don't understand what happened to the stars.'
`They're not stars.' At least that's what Zack told me...
`What else could they be?' he asks. I look up, and observe the crimson sparkles. They look like stars, yes. Indeed, what could they be, if not...
Suddenly, one of them begins pulsating slightly. I stop.
`Look...'
`I see it.' he says, as he stops beside me. `Pulsating. Interesting, truly!'
A few moments pass as we look at it, and a bright flash of light shoots into the ground next to us. Then another. Then another. And another. Then the pulsating stops...
Daniel crouches beside the spot where the first flash of light hit the ground.
`Now this is interesting...' he says, looking excited. `Until now, I've only seen this shit in books!'
`What is it?' I ask, and I crouch beside him.
`Take a look!' he says, and he points to the ground. `Have you ever seen one of these?'
As I look at the place that he is pointing to, I see that there is a glowing rune inscribed into the dirt. The sort I had never seen before.
`No...' I tell him. `What is it?'
`It's a rune used for the summoning of demons.'
`What...?'
`I think now we know where the demons came from earlier. You are correct. Those things up there... They're not stars.'
`What are they?'
`I have no idea. But they can summon demons. Soon, this land will be crawling with demons. It will be a genuine demon world here. There's going to be a lot of asses around to kick, I can tell you that much...'
He stands up and walks past the rune.
`Come, I don't think we should stand next to that thing.' he says. I walk after him, and glance back towards the rune on the ground.
`How long until the demons come through?'
`Well, I don't really know. It could be weeks, it could be seconds. Well, maybe not that quick, but...'
Before he could finish, four bright flashes of light interrupt him, each coming from the runes inscribed on the ground. A moment later, a tall column of flames shoots towards the sky from the first rune, followed shortly by three other columns of flame from the other runes. The flames vanish after a few seconds, and four large creatures appear in their place.
They are four-legged creatures, somewhat larger than a mountain lion, with thick clawed legs, and dragon-like wings on their backs. Brown scales cover their bodies. Their heads rest on thick necks, and are likewise covered in scales, but these scales are red. There are no horns on them, but they have extremely large, sharp fangs. I wouldn't like to get caught between those teeth...
`Well, well...' says Daniel. `Guess what time it is? It's ass kicking time!'
With the quickness of a panther, he lunges towards the nearest demon, drawing his sword along the way. With a swift move he cuts towards the demon's forehead. The big beast fails to get out of the way, and Daniel's sword pretty much cuts its head in half.
`Damn I'm good!' exclaims Daniel. `Split like a watermelon from Hell!'
He moves towards a second demon immediately, but the other three flap their wings and take to the skies before he could attack either of them.
`Hey! Get back here! I'm not finished!' he screams.
`I don't think you need to taunt them.'
`That's half the fun!' he says, and then he...
He starts jumping and swinging his sword towards the flying demons...
Oh come on...
`Come down here!' he screams. But the demons are circling above us, biding their time. They are waiting for something. Perhaps that we lower our guard.
`I think we need to take the fight to them.' I tell Daniel.
`That's the idea! But it's not like I can fly!'
`I'll take care of this.' I tell him, and I jump up. I turn into my bat shape, and fly towards the demons.
`Wow...' says Daniel behind me, and then he continues his useless jumping.
I fly towards one of the demons and fly directly above it. I assume my normal shape and jump on the demon's back. I firmly hang on to the demon's torso with my legs, and mercilessly rip into the demon's wings. The demon cries out in anger, and a while later it begins to fall. I quickly jump off and shapechange into a bat. I fly towards another demon, assume my shape above it, and jump on its back. Like with the previous one, I tightly hold on to it with my legs. The demon begins to thrash, trying to shake me off its back.
I prepare to rip into its wings, but as I look down, I see something that forces me reconsider. The previous demon hit the ground, and Daniel rushes towards it, sword in hand. As he reaches the beast, he swings his sword towards it with a wide and vicious smile, but the demon strikes its massive paw towards Daniel's forearm and knocks the sword from his hand. The sword flies away, and as Daniel follows its trajectory with his eyes, the demon jumps on him.
All this took place in a matter of seconds, and now Daniel is caught between the clutches of a large demon. If I force this one to land, things will only get more difficult for him. So I'd better deal with this one right here, in the air.
With my sharp claws, I rip into the neck of the demon, and tear a large number of scales off. I sink my teeth into the exposed skin, and begin to suck out the creature's blood.
I must say, all this reminds me of something... It all seems like it was yesterday. When Jase and I... When we hunted together...
No... I must not think of that now. I stop feeding and slowly pull my head back. The demon is still flying steadily, and still trying to shake me off. Suddenly it stops thrashing, and it flies calmly. I wonder why...
A few moments later, I notice the last demon, flying straight towards me. So, that's why it's no longer trying to shake me off. It wants to let the other one grab me. An idea pops in my mind, and I intently stare at the approaching demon. I watch as it comes closer and closer, and prepares to strike towards me with it's claws. I watch, and I wait. I wait. Just moments before the demon could rip into me, I change into mist shape.
The approaching demon fails to slow down or pull back. Its vicious claws brush through the mist I have become and rip straight into the neck of the demon I've been riding on, cutting straight through it, severing the creature's head from its torso. The decapitated demon begins to fall.
I take the shape of a bat and fly away from the demons, and watch as the body of the falling beast hits the ground. The last demon flies after me, and I decide to head for the ground. As I land, I assume my normal shape and wait for the demon. But it doesn't come. It is circling above me, waiting.
And where is that madman?!
I look around, and suddenly I spot him. He is struggling with the second demon. The beast is trying to bite his head off, and he is keeping the creature's mouth open with his hands, holding the upper jaw with his right hand, and the lower one with his left.
`What am I, a circus clown?' asks Daniel, as the beast tries to bite on his head, and he barely manages to push its jaw away. I'd better help him.
I rush towards him, but suddenly the last demon swoops down from the sky and forces me to jump back. It is trying to keep me away from him...
Daniel somehow keeps the beast's jaws open, but suddenly the creature begins to force its jaws shut. Daniel grins viciously, and he swiftly puts his left forearm between the beast's teeth, allowing the demon to bite on his arm. The demon does, but it doesn't seem to be able to bite through Daniel's armor. He repeatedly punches the beast where he can with his free right hand, but the beast won't let go. Finally, Daniel headbutts the beast, and the demon loosens its bite on his arm.
Daniel slips his arm out of the demon's mouth and grabs its jaws with both hands again, trying to force them open once more. He forces it wider and wider and...
I hear a snapping sound, followed by a victorious scream from Daniel. I don't believe it... Did
he just break the demon's jaw with his bare hands?
He did... He pulls the demon's jaws apart as if they were made of dry wood...
How strong must he be that he was able to pull this off...?
As I hear groans coming from the creature's throat, Daniel slowly climbs out from under the demon.
`From now on, you dine on soup!' he says, and he wipes the sweat off his brow. Then he glances around. As he sees his sword, he picks it up. He walks back to the demon with it. The creature is writhing in pain, its lower jaw uselessly hanging like the broken dry branch of a young tree in winter.
`Or maybe you don't dine at all!' says Daniel, and he raises his sword high and thrusts it through the skull of the demon. A final groan is heard, and the demon becomes motionless. Now, there is only one more left to kill.
*
I slowly approach him, keeping watch for the last demon above, but it doesn't attack. Yet.
`There's only one left.' I tell Daniel, as I reach him.
`Well then, let's wait until it lands, shall we?' he says, smiling. He looks like he enjoyed this fight. A demon almost bit his head off, and he liked it. What kind of a lunatic...
Come to think of it, what was I like in Kh'Tal? What did I do when I hunted powerful beasts? When the hunt was all I lived for?
Yes... I took pleasure in the hunt. Even when I almost died, I took pleasure in it. The more dangerous it was, the more I liked it.
Yes, I was just like this. So who am I to call him insane?
`Why are you looking at me like that?' he asks suddenly.
`Nothing... You just... reminded me of some things I used to do, long ago.'
`Unpleasant things? I hope not...'
`No, not really...'
`Good! Now where is that demon?'
We look up and watch the last creature. It's circling above us, like some vulture over dying animals.
`Why doesn't it attack?' I ask. `These things know no fear...'
`Hard to say. I think it's waiting for a chance to screw us. Take us unaware. It is angry. It wants revenge. It will land, just wait.'
Minutes pass, and the beast still circles above. Suddenly, it slowly begins to descend. It lands some thirty feet away, facing us, but it does not approach.
`Alright.' says Daniel. `I'm going there, and knocking him out cold.'
`What? We'd better kill it!'
But he lowers his sword.
`I don't know about you, but I'm tired of walking!' he says, and he sheathes the sword. Then, he approaches the demon.
`Are you out of your mind?!'
He doesn't reply. He just shouts at the demon.
`Hey, you, big guy! I'm coming for you!'
He keeps advancing on the demon, and the beast just waits there. It's like it is challenging him to a duel or something. What does he want? He wants to tame it? He is insane!
As he gets within ten feet of the demon, the beast jumps on him without hesitation. He rolls aside and the demon hits the ground beside him. Then he jumps on the demon's back...
He sits on the demon, hanging on to it where he can. The beast begins thrashing, trying to shake him off, but he's hanging on tight and the demon just can't seem to throw him off. Suddenly, the beast jumps up and takes to the sky.
`Shit...'
I turn into bat shape, and follow the demon. The creature is trying to shake Daniel off, but he just laughs.
`I can fly! I can fly! Look at me, I can fly! Hahahaha!' he screams in ecstasy. The demon keeps trying to shake him off, but without any success. A minute or so passes, and Daniel finally stops laughing. He sharpens his throat, and presses his palms against the sides of the demon's head. A thinking expression occupies his face. He begins to mumble some words to himself, then he shakes his head. Then, he mumbles some more words, and again, he shakes his head.
What is he doing?
Suddenly, his eyes brighten up, like he just remembered something. He mumbles some more words to himself, then he nods and smiles.
He opens his lips and begins to chant magic words aloud.
So, that's what he was doing. Trying to remember the words of a spell...
He chants for over half a minute, and slowly his hands begin glowing in a greenish color. As he finishes chanting, the glow from his hands encompasses the head of the demon, and the beast cries out loud. Moments later, it begins to fall.
Dammit, that madman is going to get himself killed!
Well, at least I will get my stone back...
*
The demon with Daniel on its back keeps falling, and I dive after them in bat shape. Just seconds before they would hit the ground, the demon begins to flap its wings, and it flies back up. It makes a circle in the air, and then slowly lands.
Daniel jumps off the demon and smiles widely.
`I am the tamer of demons! Damn I'm good!' he exclaims. I fly towards him and resume my normal shape as I land beside him.
`Are you totally out of your mind? What where you doing up there with that beast?'
`What? Oh, yeah. I, ah... I cast a spell on it to force it under my control.'
He did what?
`Are you kidding?' I ask, surprised.
`No, take a look.' he says, and he turns to the demon. `Stand on your hind legs, Fido!'
The demon stands up and slowly stands on its hind legs.
`Good doggy!' says Daniel. `You can stand like normal now.'
The demon puts its forelegs back on the ground, just like that.
I don't believe this...
`Why the Hell did you...'
`I told you, I'm tired of walking. I'd rather fly!' he says, and he climbs on the demon's back. `Hop on behind me. We're about to take to the skies!'
I stare at him for a while, then I jump on the demon's back, sitting behind him. He orders the demon to fly up, and it does. It flies up with us, and Daniel directs it towards the northwest.
As we fly towards our destination on the demon's back, I can't help but think about all the things we've seen. First, there was that village. That lone, invisible demon. Then, in Aldut, we faced a dozen vicious creatures. Here, we were attacked by four more demons far away from the town. Somehow it seems to be connected to the crimson stars in the sky. The crimson stars which Zack claimed are not even stars...
Even if they are not stars, one thing seems clear to me. They must be all over the sky. Everywhere in Arghard. Which means, not only Draconia has been invaded by demons, but Ess'yer as well... Endarryn, my former home, must be suffering from these attacks as well...
My people, my old friends...
Shayeld...
They are all in grave danger, if they are still alive at all...
And there is nothing I can do to help them.
What happened to this world? That explosion in the Keep... What truly transpired there? And now, the demons... What does it all mean? Is Arghard doomed? Is this the beginning of the end?
A few minutes pass as these thoughts overwhelm my mind, an suddenly Daniel begins to speak.
`You know something, Beautiful... That turning into a bat trick... That was pretty neat! I had no idea you night elves could do that...'
`I'm not a night elf.'
`You're not? Well, what are you then?'
I guess he was too busy to watch when I was sucking the blood out of the demon...
`I'm a vampire.'
He turns towards me, and raises his eyebrows.
`You're a what?'
`Vam...'
`Cool! What plane are you from?'
`What?'
`Well, I always thought that elves can't become vampires. But maybe that's only Arghardian elves. Maybe extraplanar elves are diff...'
`I'm Arghardian.'
`Then how?'
`It was black magic.'
`Oh. Oh. Well... Did Zack do that?'
`No. Kurt Aurach did.'
`Oh. You know him then?'
`Yes. Though I've only met him briefly.'
`He's a jolly go
od fellow, isn't he?'
Jolly good fellow?
`If you are trying to say that he is a likable sort and a good man... Yes, he certainly is.'
`Yeah. Just it. Well, anyway...'
He turns back forward, takes the stone out of his pouch and places it in his left hand. The face pointing forward is still glowing.
`Well, we are still not there, it seems...' says Daniel. `In the mean time, let me tell you how I came to live in Draconia. You should really hear the tale of how I settled in at my Keep!'
Great, more of this crap. I hope we reach our destination soon...
Golems and dragons
Draconia, around two hundred years ago
I could tell you countless tales of the things Zack and I did after we had found Doom and Chaos. Once I taught him how to fight and he taught me how to enchant things, a whole new world of everlasting opportunities opened before the both of us. We spent the next thirty-odd years with continuing our exploration of Draconia, while we went back to Kh'Tal every now and then so Zack could resume his studies with Aurach. It was during this time that the old magician initiated him into the Dark Arts, and by the end of this period he was a true master of both arcane and black magic.
It was then that he said, that it was time for him to seek new worlds where he could extend his knowledge even more. By then, we had seen countless wonders in Draconia, and I truly felt at home there, but I was willing to leave it all behind for a while, so that I could go with him. That's how we started to travel the Planes.
We traveled to countless worlds, engaged in adventures and explored places you may barely be able to imagine. Zack even managed to get us into the Afterlife without dying! All of that gave us unbelievable experiences. He always said that he learned a lot from these journeys, especially from the times we traveled to the Spiritual Planes. As for me, I greatly enjoyed these adventures merely for the sake of all the fun we had.
But all good things come to an end. We spent over half a century wandering the Planes like this, and while I greatly enjoyed it all, I felt more and more that I longed for the lands of Draconia more than any other place. It is where I felt home. Zack on the other hand felt home only when traveling the Planes. So, it was time for us to part ways.
Brothers Page 15
