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ForumsInteractive Story Board → The Shadows of Darkness.
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The Shadows of Darkness.
2000-09-05, 6:50 AM #481
(NSP: Hehe, evil is always plotting against each other. That's why good will always win [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif] )

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If you think you're wise--you're not.
Member of the Rebellion agains AC
So sayest the Writer of Silly Things!
2000-09-07, 4:02 PM #482
(NSP: Man, I hate cliffhangers! Well, while Antestarr finishes that up, I'll try to write up the ending, so I can just copy it in when he finishes up. Hope you all will like the ending and all [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif] Hope to see the resolution of the Jaccik ordeal soon.)
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2000-09-12, 3:44 AM #483
*Waits for end of story on edge of seat biting what's left of fingernails*

Deridian War is a cool story (hint hint).


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Oft evil will does evil mar.
Member of the Rebellion agains AC
So sayest the Writer of Silly Things!
2000-09-24, 10:58 AM #484
Must...Force...People...To...Finish...SOD...
2000-09-24, 11:36 AM #485
Jaccik's palm faced the allies. A soft white glow began to surround the hand. Panic began to set in as the party began to realize that they had no idea what to expect from a true master cleric. All they knew was that their fates would be much harsher than a simple "call lightning" spell.

In an instant a brilliant light moved from Jaccik's hand directly for the party. A flash of black streaked from the wall. Antestarr stood before them, hands appearing to be ready to brace for the impact of the beam. As it neared him, it split several directions as a half-dome of darkness flickered around the party.

"Ah, I see you managed to get a shield up in time..." Jaccik said. "But I also felt the power you put into it. You and I both know that you couldn't stop another beam with one. Let's see how you react to this."

Another flash of light flew from Jaccik's hand. Knowing what he was saying was true, Antestarr resorted to his only other option. A beam of energy surrounded in black lightning erupted from his hands, the runes of his cloak beginning to glow fiercly while lending a bit of power. The two beams met and a thunder-like force reverberated through the room, shaking the others to the ground. The two beams locked and created a powerful stalemate.

The light from the collision of the two beams was blinding, but it wasn't the light that the party was worried about. The entire room began to vibrate from the power that was within it. And the power was only increasing. Even the runes within Antestarr's cloak began to move about sensing the danger of the situation. It was only a matter of time before it was enough to shake the entire fortress apart.

-------------------

Bazaal took his attention from the battle outside for a moment. He began to commune with the fortress above him. He could feel the power pulsing through it. He started to mold that very power.

-------------------

Nobody could see through the light in the room. Nobody noticed as the floor behind Jaccik began to seem almost like a puddle. Nobody could tell that out of this puddle rose a large, black form with blade-like arms. The form moved behind Jaccik and thrust its arms through his back.

-------------------

Antestarr felt the power that he was fighting suddenly stop abruptly. Without time to react his beam tore straight into Jaccik, immediately vaporizing him, and continued on through the wall behind him.

A pain like none before shot through Antestarr. He fell to his hands and knees as the others watched in awe. Antestarr could feel all those around him, within the walls. He stared blankly at the floor as sweat dropped from his brow. A tormented face crossed his vision, freezing his blood.

It was his own.

He could feel his fingers beging to slip through the floor. Unable to do anything else, he almost welcomed this bizarre end to his unusual existance.

The party continued to watch, as Antestarr's cloak began to swirl about, eventually becoming what resembled a black mist with glowing runes speckled about it. The mist swirled faster until flying from where it was directly into the walls. Where Antestarr was, there was nothing.

The walls became painted in runes. The different colors spun around the room, seeming to flow with the power within the fortress. Two words reverberated through everybody's minds.

Get Out
Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt.
2000-09-25, 2:57 PM #486
(NSP: Hey, we're finally gettin' up again. Good post Ante, and now its my turn. Unfortunately, seeing how I have major school and work during the week, I don't have time to write the finale until Saturday (audience: boo! hiss!) but I promise, it'll be the best I can make it (*grumble of approval*) So stay tuned! And of course, if Antestarr wasn't finished, I'll wait for him *unless I get an overwhelming majority to somehow write with a piece of missing story, hehe* Until then though, you'll have to wait. DOn't you just love cliffhangers? Hehe)
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2000-09-26, 6:06 AM #487
*craks whip*

Back to work with all of you!

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If at first you don't succeed, lower your standards!
[url="mailto:Rogue_Leader@massassi.com"]mailto:Rogue_Leader@massassi.com[/url]Rogue_Leader@massassi.com</A>
Visit my homepage.
Life is beautiful.
2000-09-28, 3:26 PM #488
(NSP: Yeah, Antestarr wanted to add more, and liek you all (all of Rogue leader, hehe. thank you for being such a dedicated reader, I hope you've liked it so far), I hope to see the rest of his posts soon. But until then, stick around, and don't set your expectations too high for the finale [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif] thanks, hehe.)
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2000-09-28, 5:42 PM #489
*puts whip away and sits on stool while staring at Gebohq*

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If at first you don't succeed, lower your standards!
[url="mailto:Rogue_Leader@massassi.com"]mailto:Rogue_Leader@massassi.com[/url]Rogue_Leader@massassi.com</A>
Visit my homepage.
Life is beautiful.
2000-09-29, 2:37 PM #490
(NSP: Geb: *in whiny kid voice* MOOOOOOM! Rogue leader's looking at me! Make him stop!---ok, so I was bored and had to type that, my bad. Oh, and Rogue leader, I haven't done it yet (I'll edit this post when I do), but I'm editing teh psot conserning Apathis' suicide, seeing how for me that was an important scene. It'll be ten times better when its finished, so check it out when I'm done (its way back on page 5) if you don't want to, that's cool too. Again, it's not finished yet, so don't look yet [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif])
The Plothole: a home for amateur, inclusive, collaborative stories
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2000-10-02, 1:06 AM #491
PLEASE finish this, guys! I'm on the edge of my seat. Just yesterday I finished reading through the entire thing, and it's GREAT!

[disappointedly]Guess it's too late to help you write this thing, though. [/disappointedly]

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The metaphysical nature of this energy field commonly known as "the Force" is such that it is galactically pervasive, but the potential of becoming omnipervasive, or even modopotent.
Play epic RPGs such as Year Infinity, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel
2000-10-02, 5:05 AM #492
If we're lucky, we'll be able to make another sequal type story. Feel free to participate then.
2000-10-02, 5:20 AM #493
Orca - argh, I mean, Nature_Paladin, can't get used to your "new" name - I hope that sequel is not long in coming.

Is it going to be in this sequel that that "Final Battle" you were talking about will be played out? You know, where Orca wanders through a tunnel of light and is declared champion of Nature on the immortal battlefield.

------------------
The metaphysical nature of this energy field commonly known as "the Force" is such that it is galactically pervasive, but the potential of becoming omnipervasive, or even modopotent.
Play epic RPGs such as Year Infinity, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel
2000-10-02, 3:10 PM #494
Yup
2000-10-02, 3:23 PM #495
NSP: Now if only we could find out how many of the other writers are still at least with us in reading it...hehe. And don't yell at Antestarr too much, he just started college and has his whole new hippin' and crazy stuff going on, so that free time ain't as much as it use to be I'm sure. Same with me anyways, though I'm still a senior in high school. Still, I hope he can post soon. Cathc ya later.
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2000-10-02, 4:43 PM #496
I yet live, punks. Finish already! I wanna see what happens to me!
2000-10-03, 3:02 PM #497
*GASP!*

*Geb has a heart attack*

It's DIRTBAG! Perhaps hope is not lost after all... [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif]
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2000-10-04, 11:20 AM #498
I'm still here.. yeah, please finish it..
"Maybe you like rainbows"
I can't remember what to say!!!!
Click here for my homepage.
2000-10-05, 4:41 AM #499
*fidgits on stool while fingering whip*

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Life is beautiful.
2000-10-10, 5:28 AM #500
*gets off stool, streches, then sits back down to stare at Gebohq some more*

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Life is beautiful.
2000-10-13, 7:28 PM #501
(NSP: The Viking Returns just in time to snag the 500th post! Haaaaaaahahahahaaaaaa!
*Joins Rogue in staring* Krig wants story to finish so Krig can write epilogue!)


(P.S. 500th post! Haaaaaahahahaaaaaaa!)
So sayest the Writer of Silly Things!
2000-10-14, 5:29 PM #502
*hands Krig tub*

Popcorn?

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Life is beautiful.
2000-10-15, 3:22 PM #503
(NSP: Well, while you're all waiting for Antestarr's post (I am contimplating putting his e-mail address on here, but he'd prolly stop talking to me if I did something so cruel), I re-wrote a post back on page five--my first one on it, involving Apathis's suicide and Geb's trama (though I only edited the suicide part--give me some feedback on it here please [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif] its quite an important part for my characters. Thanks [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif])
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2000-10-15, 4:20 PM #504
(NSP: Mmmm, popcorn.

I sent ya an e-mail review of that suicide excerpt thing. If it seems a bit harsh, don't worry. I'm always harsh in reviews, I can't help it.

*throws popcorn at Ante*

Hurry up!)
So sayest the Writer of Silly Things!
2000-10-17, 9:29 AM #505
A few days ago, in a forum not so far away...

SOAP OPERA

Episode I: Waiting on Antestarr

Cut to college dorm at University of Aldera. Antestarr is creating a holographic artwork as a project that has to incorporate elements of neotrantilism, varoishism, and lekmeism. Datapad with his unfinished addition to "Shadows of Darkness" lies on back table. Roommate walks in. "Hey, man, whatcha doing?"

"Doing my project."

"What's that thing over there?"

"It's called a da-ta-pad. Imperial and Republic children learn about them when they are very young."

"Ha, ha. Very funny. What's ON it?"

"Something I'm doing for some friends on the Galactic Holonet."

"So why aren't you doing that?"

"Because I have this project to do."

Roommate looks at him strangely. "Man, you have your priorities backwards."

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

A squadron of X-wings dives and spins through space, having just disabled a freighter. "This is Rogue Leader. Excellent work, Rogues. You've just captured Gebohq."

Back at Rogue Base a.k.a. the Massassi Temple, Rogue Leader takes out his whip and goes to the torture chamber, where Gebohq is being held. He sits on a stool and gives Gebohq 30 lashes. "Tell me Antestarr's Holonet mail address!"

"Never!" Rogue Leader whips Gebohq some more. "I can't!" Gebohq screams. "He'll flay me to pieces!"

"What do you think I'M doing now?" Rogue Leader ask sinisterly, and he proceeds to whip him some more...

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

Krig the Viking angrily smashed his computer with his ax. "Krig want SoD to be finished NOW!" he cries. Then, recovering him composure, he goes out and buys another computer.

------------------
The metaphysical nature of this energy field commonly known as "the Force" is such that it is galactically pervasive, but the potential of becoming omnipervasive, or even modopotent.
Play epic RPGs such as Year Infinity, or duel in the Interdimensional Arena @ The High Citadel
2000-10-18, 6:46 AM #506
*reads 13th page after months of absence.*

I thought you guys had finished this already. If you don't soon, I might have to rise from the grave. (That's a threat.)

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I'll never find another girl like you,
for happy endings it takes two,
We're fire and ice,
the dream won't come true...


Starship, Sara
Get your JED Organized!
2000-10-19, 3:29 PM #507
NSP: You know, this is really jsut an evil plot of Antestarr's to get all the old writers to pay attention for the grande finale. Mhm, you all knew it. I mean, come on, Dirtbag? Ping_Me now? Before we know it, Threedee, Dead Jedi, Scout, Avenger, and all teh others will be here [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif] or not. I like your post Emperor, and I'm afraid of Ping's threat. Very afraid (foreshadowing of two elven soldiers becoming the main characters anyone?) Meanwhile, I'll do my best to get Ante crackin' on ze ol' post then
The Plothole: a home for amateur, inclusive, collaborative stories
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2000-10-20, 12:36 PM #508
You know, if you all are bored, you could help lending your writing talents on another story... *cough*TheDeridianWar*cough* Oops! Anyway, Like I said, I'm sure there are many other good stories who wouldn't mind a few extra talented writers... [http://forums.massassi.net/html/wink.gif] [http://forums.massassi.net/html/wink.gif]

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'But tonight, we're going to a party. Because that's our job.'
'Bleed and die, yub, yub.'
'Never tell me the odds. You know Corellians have no tolorence for odds.'
'Me? Egotistical?

-Wedge Antilles
Self-righteous people are more sinful than I am.
2000-10-22, 5:00 PM #509
Hmmm, so I'm in charge of the Massassi Temple's torture chamber eh? *cackles with delight and taps fingers together* Excellent. Let's see what other sinister intruments are lying around here...

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Life is beautiful.
2000-10-26, 7:36 PM #510
NSP:
*Antestarr wipes dust that collected on the still frame of the figures of everybody trying to escape the fortress.*

Wow, it's still here, and has more interest than ever due to the sudden stop. Cool. So, there is truth to the rumor I'm at college. No, I haven't been attacked by hordes of women looking to get with wonderful little me. (With the 3 to 1 male to female ratio, I'm surprised I haven't been attacked by hordes of men trying to find a way to cope with the lack of women.) No offense intended towards any of the readership. If necessary, disregard the comment in parentheses. So, anyway, every time I think about this post I have to do, it reminds me too much of the english paper that I should have done last week. Which is a bad thing as I've had very little desire to do either. So, I've decided that I'll post tomorrow. Er, today as the case may be. Sometime after meth... er I mean Math Lab (yes, my calculus class requires we have a lab in which we work in groups) and sometime before tomorrow. My Math Lab ends at 2:50 Mountain Time. Expect the post after that. Else I'll check myself into the MTC (Massassi Torture Chamber). Just remember, trying to torture me with "Get Along", the intro to Slayers season one, will only envigorate me (yes, I'm beginning to like the japanese music at the beginning of anime.) And don't even think about trying to get in on our Gundam Wing spinoff RPG played with Alternity rules. Unless you actually go to New Mexico Tech, in which case you can beat me over the head with a stick until I post.

Yes, I truly am strange.

But no more strange than your average computer jockey.
Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt.
2000-10-27, 11:57 AM #511
Antestarr looked about. He was in a space he was unfamiliar with. There was nobody about that he could see, and he could see for miles. It appeared to be empty, yet he could hear the wails of tortured souls all around him. From behind him, he heard a familiar voice.

"Hello, brother."

Spinning around, Antestarr was face to face with Jaccik once more. But it didn't feel right. He felt a power emanating from Jaccik, but not the one he always felt from him. It was different. Uncaring for anything.

"Who are you who comes to me in the guise of Jaccik?" Antestarr demanded from the figure before him. Before his eyes, the figure immediately transformed to another person, who looked similar to Gebohq, yet somehow more menacing.

"Well, you caught me there. I'm Apathis. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Charmed, I'm sure." Antestarr replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Now, can you tell me what I'm doing here, or where here is for that matter?"

"Why, you're within Bazaal's fortress. Within it's very structure to be exact."

"You mean to say that I've come to join the force that holds this infernal place together?!" Antestarr said, panic beginning to rise in his chest.

"Exactly. Here, perhaps I can better explain with the aid of my associates," Apathis said, as 5 other figures came to join him. Antestarr recognized them from descriptions given during stories that had been related during times of rest in the journey here. Jeeza... Kircha... Cathar... Salanas... Carnid. All stood before him, seeming to be as alive as any other being.

"I think I'm beginning to understand... You all lost your souls in the service of Bazaal, so you remain here. But why are you coming to me? And why am I even here for that matter?"

"We are the ones who control the growth of this fortress. It lives through us. We use those souls lost as a result of Bazaal's action to feed this place with near limitless power. Why? We've got nothing better to do, I guess. As for you... you're here because you too have lost your life in the service of Bazaal."

"WHAT?! How could I possibly have died in the service of that fiend?! I stood against him with the others!" The panic in Antestarr's chest was beginning to become unbearable.

"Oh, didn't you realize? Jaccik wasn't only your brother. He was you."

With those words, the emptiness seemed to spin around Antestarr. Clutching his head, he began to fall through the empty space below him. The wailing of souls continued to wrack his mind. As he neared the borders of his sanity, a calm, benign voice came to him, as if sent from somewhere beyond.

"Antestarr, please listen to me. I am an emissary from the Nameless One, sent to help you understand your existance. It is true what Apathis told you, to some extent. Jaccik is you. A part of you. Let me try to make it clearer...

"The two of you were created many many years ago in this very world. The people were just beginning to fully understand the use of magic, and were starting to use its fearful power to dominate one another. A small group of wizards decided that in order to stop the greed of people who had powerful magic, they would create the greatest magic user ever. One without the limitations and physical flaws of a human. One born purely of magic. Doing what they could, they manipulated the inner force of magic to create a being. That being was you. However, when they first created you, they made you in the image of a human, and a human can only handle one of the two poles of magic, light or dark. So, another being separated from you. They chose to link the two of you together, though, so that when you fully understood yourselves, you could become one again and transcend that human barrier.

"But Jaccik realized that he had limitless potential far too soon, causing him to have a near limitless greed. So the wizards forced you to be his counter, his balance. But as the two of you grew, they started to lose their control over the both of you. Fearing that you would join Jaccik and crush the world under the force of the essence of magic, the chose to seal you both in a place where they believed the two of you would never be found.

"Since your re-awakening, you have been free of the directives given you by the wizards. All your actions have been your own. That is all I may tell you outright."

Antestarr thought for a moment on what it all meant. After a few moments, it finally came to him. The sense of duty to try and stop Jaccik had not been his purpose in the world. That had merely been a development of a conscience. Everything he had tried to do had been for the greater good, not to be able to stop Jaccik. Now, even without Jaccik, there was something he had to do.

Listening to the souls, Antestarr floated about the open space. A single point existed in which a powerful magic held them all here. Knowing his new purpose, he entered that point and began to use his body as a channel for a counterspell.

He could feel the torment, the anguish leaving the place. As if a haze had lifted, the air about seemed much clearer. The souls were free, except for a scant few. Those few were the souls loyal to Bazaal.

Apathis appeared before Antestarr. "Well, now, you've really caused a mess. Do you realize what this will do?"

"I know exactly what it will do. I have freed these tortured ones to move on to where they should have been all along."

"Oh, and what is it you have in store for us, then?" Apathis asked.

"I have nothing in store for you but your freedom. You cannot remain here, and it is not my place to judge you. That right is reserved for but one being."

With that, Apathis and the other followers of Bazaal were pulled away, into another life.

Antestarr was alone once more. No he wasn't. He had helped all those around him, now was his time to return to where he was from. His body slowly dispersed with a small smile on his face...

-----------------------

Gebohq and his allies ran out the gate in time to notice something spectacular. The entire fortress above them stopped shaking all together and the battlefield reached a total silence. A loud groan, then a snap was heard as one piece of the fortress fell to the ground, crushing some of the undead forces, then melting into the ground as if it had never existed. The entire fortress began to fall apart, seeming to melt... to bleed...

The warriors below, fighting the battle all saw this. Realizing now that the efforts were not futile, every person on the field began to fight with a new strength, the strenght of hope.

Gebohq heard a voice echo in his head. "I hope my services have been... adequate."

-----------------------

Bazaal looked up in his inner sanctum. He could feel everything he had built above from nothing begin to fall apart, to return from whence it came. Rage welled up within him. Soon it would be time to show them all what happened when you hit the hornet's nest with a stick.
Pereant qui ante nos nostra dixerunt.
2000-10-27, 12:16 PM #512
*An earth shaking roar rises slowly from the audience of SoD, rattling the very foundation of the Massassi Temple. A blinding ray of hope has appeared on the horizon. SoD may one day be completed!*

Man, that was sweet Ante! Absolutely brilliant! It makes me wanna write more here...

------------------
Oft evil will does evil mar.
So sayest the Writer of Silly Things!
2000-10-27, 3:27 PM #513
NSP: *Everyone now turns their attentiont o Geb. geb stares blankly, and after a few moments, realizes why they are all staring at him.* Crud, I guess I shouldn't keep you all waiting. I'll write my final posts for teh finale (unless anybody else now wants to write--speak now). I'll try to have it up by Sunday night, Eastern time, but I'll be honest, I didn't think Ante would actually be posting, lol. I mean, I knew he would eventually, but not now. Cheers to Ante's good writing, and I shall leave you all with one thought --reality. *evil grin spreads across his face* I hope you all will like the ending (again, I stress that I do not want to stop anybody from writing if they wish to, I am merely doing this b/c I felt that no one else had anything to add).
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2000-10-29, 11:21 AM #514
Ah, that should keep me satisfied until the ending. Thank you Antestarr.

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Life is beautiful.
2000-10-29, 1:22 PM #515
(NSP: So you know, I'm having my post approved by merlin first, so it's going to be a while longer before it's up. Sorry, but you'll have to be patient if you want a well-written and approved-by-creator post [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif] Thank you for your reader participation, and have a plesant day (hehe).
The Plothole: a home for amateur, inclusive, collaborative stories
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2000-10-30, 3:43 AM #516
*waits...*
So sayest the Writer of Silly Things!
2000-11-09, 3:43 PM #517
NSP: Hey, sorry I haven't posted guys, but the honest truth is I haven't had time to. In light of the school work I have, I have e-mailed the work I've done on the ending for Shadows of Darkness to Merlin, Ping_me, and Krig_the_Viking, so hopefully you will see the ending from one of them. I will post an epilogue though, and I hope the rest of you (writers) do also. Thank you for writing and/or reading this story, and I hope you have enjoyed what we've had so far and will enjoy our ending. Thank you, and once again, sorry for not posting myself and keeping you all waiting.

~Geb
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2000-11-12, 5:29 PM #518
(I did a few calculations, and I've found that if the Shadows of Darkness was put on paper, in a novel, it would be 273 pages long. Congratulations, people, we've got a full length novel on our hands!)

(Here is part of the last post. Merlin, Ping, if you guys had any of this written up already... too bad [http://forums.massassi.net/html/smile.gif] . Actually, if you had anything signifigantly different from what I have, tell me. There's some places in here that could use improvement, and since this is one of the last posts, I'd like to get it right.)


Where the foreboding fortress of Bazaal's once stood was now simply a vast and flat land. Gebohq saw that several of the people who had been in the fortress now stood in random places inside the area where the fortress had been. Gebohq thought that perhaps it was Antestarr's doing that the living victims inside Bazaal's stronghold would emerge from the destruction. Lost and confused, those that lived simply walked away, into the village nearby. Gebohq was depressed to see that the battle between Bazaal's undead forces and Orca's army were still fighting, some distance away. To take his mind off that situation, he turned his attention towards the others with him.

Gebohq saw his friends in a little bit of shock, but believing the battle over, were finding peace within themselves. Dragonfly stood with Shawn and Lina, and as they were comforting each other, so were Tessa and Jessica, who were discussing their own worries. Jason stood with Kogi, muttering about things dark and sinister. Krig, Scout, JK_Meteor, and bug stood uneasily in a group, warily going over what had just happened. Bug, though with them, seemed rather detached from the conversation they were having. Instead, he was staring through Scout and into Orca's direction, who was standing alone, apparently gazing at the horizon. Reyuan and Ji'Tory held each other, standing motionless in each other's arms. Gebohq turned to his left to find Merlin in deep thought. Merlin then turned his attention to Gebohq.

"Now is the time to face Bazaal," Merlin spoke. "I will open the way to an ancient stairwell that leads down to his present location. Gather the others, and follow me."

Gebohq did as he was told, and soon the group followed Merlin until he had stopped in the middle of the new and vast wasteland. With a simple and somber wave of his hand, the ground began to rumble and shake very slightly. A crack appeared in the ground before Gebohq and Merlin, widening, revealing a cracked stone staircase descending into the depths of the earth. Merlin started solemnly down the stairs, and Gebohq followed directly behind him.
The others hesitated a moment, looking to each other as if to ask who should go first. Ji'Tory broke the pause, and slipped down the stairs, holding the Concilum eX Deo before her. The remaining members of the party followed single file, until only Krig and Orca were left. Krig squinted at Orca quizzically for a moment, then shook his hairy head and stumped down the stairs.
Orca stayed a moment longer, until the horns of Krig's helmet had dissapeared below the ground, then almost painfully tore his gaze off of the horizon, and the raging battle. He descended into the depths, leaving his minions to fend for themselves.

Gebohq stepped briskly behind Merlin, feeling like a small child trying to keep up with his father. As they walked the dark, dry hallway widened, and Gebohq sped up to walk beside Merlin. Merlin began speaking.

"The last time you saw Bazaal, he was a twisted, malformed creature with a black heart, but he was still largly human. That is the case no longer. He will not be swayed by anything you can offer him, nor intimidated by anything you can do. His only desire now is power, and that is his only weakness, such as it is.

"He was human once, and he does still have a seed of good in him, however small. If he were to turn from his evil ways, and beg forgiveness, he could be redeemed."

As Merlin fell into silence, Gebohq thought upon what had been said. Why was Merlin telling him this? What was going to happen?

As he thought, they reached the end of the staircase. Before them stood a large door of solid black oak, engraved with various runes. Behind Geb, the rest of the group filed into the small anteroom before the door, Orca bringing up the rear.

Merlin waited until everyone was in the room, then spoke.

"I'm afraid that this is as far as I can take you. Remember all that I've taught you, for you now face a danger greater than any other. "

bug spoke up. "What are you talking about? We need you to defeat Bazaal!"

Merlin smiled sadly "I wish that I could do more for you, but it is not God's will. I must leave you now. God bless you all."

With that, Merlin seemed to glow slightly, then fade away. As he faded, the room was plunged into darkness, a dark so black that the group could not see their hands before their faces. It was an unatural dark, and with it came a sense of evil, a sense of hopelessness that washed over the party like a wave.

After a few moments, puffs of flame began to ignite around the room as the magic users came to their senses. The flames didn't light up the room as much as Merlin seemed to have, but it was sufficient to see each other's faces. They huddled into a crude circle within the cramped anteroom, and held an impromptu meeting.

"What should we do now?" Dragonfly queried the others.

"Maybe we should turn back. Without Merlin, we have no chance against Bazaal!" Shawn replied, a worried look on his dimly lit face. Lina nodded in agreement.

Tessa shivered. "We have less than a chance. Even with Merlin, we would only have had a slight chance at victory. Now..."

Gebohq spoke up. "Merlin wanted us to face him. He knew what he was doing."

"Even so, how do we know Bazaal hasn't blinded Merlin? I think we should make a strategic retreat, until we have the situation properly assessed." Kogi spoke, breaking his habit of silence.

"I agree." Jason put in. "I have no desire to see Bazaal, especially since I turned on him. He would probably kill me on sight! Jessica and I should probably leave right now, we're putting you all in danger."

Krig growled his assent. He didn't like being underground.

The group stared at each other in silence. Though he had declared his intention to leave, Jason made no move for the stairs. Scout shifted her weight uneasily, glancing around at the people with her. Ji'Tory clutched the Concilium eX Deo like a lifeline, and Reyuan held Ji'Tory.

JK broke the silence. "I think Merlin is playing games with us. I'm not going along with it, I'm leaving."

Suddenly, Orca began laughing. The others stared at him like he was insane, but he continued.

"Don't you see it? This is all some trick of Bazaal's! You're all under some kind of fear spell!"

The others looked at each other, considering the new possibility. Orca began pushing through the others.

"Enough of this talk. Let's just get it over with!" He strode over to the door, and gave it a shove. To everyone's surprise, it creaked open, flooding the the anteroom with a pale, warmthless light...

[/very long post]

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Oft evil will does evil mar.
So sayest the Writer of Silly Things!
2000-11-21, 5:23 AM #519
I'm getting restless again. You all know what happens when I get restless.

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If at first you dont' succeed, lower your standards!
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2000-11-21, 3:29 PM #520
[NSP] Hey it won't let me make it send an email when someone posts!!!!! [http://forums.massassi.net/html/mad.gif][/NSP]
"Maybe you like rainbows"
I can't remember what to say!!!!
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