*Ping_Me somersaults into the room through an open window.*

"Allright! Who's the guy whose responsible for all this??"

*charges in waving energy sword. Accidentally slips on bananna peel an somersaults quite UN-intentionally out an opposing window*

"Nevermmmiiiiiiiinnnnnnddddddddd........!!!!!!!!!!"

------------------
When driving on the highway,
The guy you pass on your right, is an idiot
The guy who passes you on your left, is a maniac

*Gebohq blinks, dazed by a strange sense of deja vu. He thought he had done things after the grand festivities, but he couldn't rememberd them. He looks at the other party members, dumbfounded like him. Gebohq then wondered what he was doing standing in a field of undead. All this thinking made him hungary, so he ate a nearby bannana and threw away the peel. He walks away to find more food when behind him Ping_Me slips on the bannana peel he had just dropped.*

OH no!!!!!!! i think the evil wizrads have brought us back in time! oh noo!!!! I hope everyone remembers what happened!

------------------
-Dragonfly
Webmaster of JKBTGExtras
"Four legs good, two legs better!"

I do, but I don't think everyone got to see the pic you posted dragonfly(I did though, it was a bit fuzzier than I thought, gues that's what I get when I make the file smaller). But I hadn't seen the updated Gebohq pic when you posted the other up. You did get it right?(it was not that much different, but it was different enough to be signifigant). Sum up what's not here: undead army attacks celebration of the marriage between the knight and the princess(right?), we fight, its a deception and is to lure us away from the exploding kamakazie dragons that was sent to each major city. Did we want to set off for the Dark Towers now? And Merlin: if you could describe any of the locations mentioned in the story (dark towers, Merlin's citadel...)in extreme detail(like to technical detailex.the second floor is layed out from left to right yadda-yadda...)so I can try drawing them(I'm a lot better with setting drawing than people drawings). I wonder how the story did dissapear...

------------------
"The difference between insanity and genius is sucess."

])}Gebohq{([

I seem to recall somthing about Dark Riders, Undead warriors and two evil girls on horseback.


Buuuuuuuttt, I could be wrong.

------------------
When driving on the highway,
The guy you pass on your right, is an idiot
The guy who passes you on your left, is a maniac

You want the lay out the Merlin's citadel? There is a large central room that is circular. In the center of that room is a large basin which holds a large fire that warms and illuminates the room. Around the circle of the basin is a ring of gold inset into the floor, it has a latin inscription on it. The room has dark granite walls that stretch upward into the darkness. About the room is scattered various comfortable couches and chairs. To the front of the room is a large archway that leads to the large ledge, where Balthazar often lands. From the ledge (at least in the story I'm writing) their is a gentle sloping ledge that leads all the way down to the forest floor. If you faced the ledge while still in the large circular room where the fire is, to your right would be the alchemy lab, behind you the library, to your left a wooden door.

The alchemy lab has several stone shelves and a large wooden table in the center. Upon the table and shelves are various beakers, powders, potions, and artifacts.

The Library is a vast hall stretching a huge distance. Lined on either side are book shelves filled with books of lore. The bookshelves are 10 levels high. There is also a ladder to reach the higher books. At the far end of the hall near the ceiling is a large stained glass window which sunlight pours through filling the room with colors of yellow, red, and blue.

The wooden door to the right is locked and can be opened only by me (Merlin). Beyond it is a spiral stair case leading deeper into the mountian. The stair case ends in a circular room made of gray rock. In one corner rests a staff. In the center of the room there is a raised area, octagonal carvings on the floor go outward from the raised part of the floor, upon the raised part of the floor stads a podium. Upon the podium rest a book. The book is a powerful book of magic that Merlin rarely needs to use. The book is written in Runes. (A languge only a few people can translate, Merlin one of them).

Disreagard this, it was an accidental doubble post.

[This message has been edited by Merlin (edited October 29, 1999).]

you're wrong merlin. Completely wrong. The main room is a half circle, with the fireplace in the middle of the flat wall. Walking in the main entrance you face the flat wall with the fireplace. To the right is the arch, and ledge where (Balzalth. Baahazla. MR DRAGON) lands. The library is through an open doorway to the left and forward. To your left is a big wooden door into the basement. Forward and right leads to a hallway. going down the hallway is the lab, and you can follow it to a stairway that goes up.

stairs
| |_____
| lab |
____ | |_____|
/ ** \| |
library |
| ledge
door ] |
==== ====

** = fireplace

arrrrrgggg!!!!!! my beautiful picture! ruined sob, *blows nose* why did it have to do that?

------------------
Good pitching can always stop good hitting and vice versa.
- Yogi Berra?

Hey everbody (especially Dragonfly) I've added "City in the Clouds" chapter (Chapter 6) to the tale. Come and take a look! Go to:

http://members.xoom.com/jedi_merlin/legend/legend1.htm

This link will lead you directly to the story itself.

BASIC SUMMARY: We are attacked by a bunch of Dark Riders that are just an illusion. But it is also a distraction so big dragons can explode in all the major capitals. Heavy damage inflicted. Then Orca arrives at castle to find out REAL undead are advancing on it. We fight them and eventually win. Then, Orca, realizing so many people have died because of the evil dragons, swears revenge and charges off to the Stygian capital to help the Stygians.

------------------
-Space Orca
Space Orca's best qoutes:
"The Force is strong in you. The force of my lightsaber coming down!"
"A planet of pokemon? Don't bomb it from orbit. A few might survive. Get the Death Star in here!"
"Hmmmm... It looks like my Lightsaber needs a little repair work. Know of any lightsaber repair shops in town?"
"Luke Skywalker drew his lightsaber... and turned it in to the art teacher"
"Pokemon is spelled S-T-U-P-I-D!"
If you have any more funny quotes, just send them to me.

Has anybody e-mailed Brian about this? or even Three-Dee?

I won't be able to reply to any posts until Sunday night, just so you know.

Betcha I know what happened.

An evil infiltrator futilly attempted to gain admin priviledges, made a mistake, and deleted part of this tread.

By the way, anybody know what OS Massassi runs on?

------------------
Jkior...the ultimate joker!
http://free.prohosting.com/~jkior/index.html
The only editing group with one member and a sense of humor.

Hello dead story, how are you?

You answered yer own question.

Duh.

It's not a dead story. We all just need a breather(at least I did) because we've been writing non-stop on this story. Not to mention that having someone erase the 6th page of our story dampered things a bit. I'm actually assuming that Merlin wanted the party to start moving to the Dark Towers now, but I wasn't sure. Hey Merlin, give us some info!

Where are you Merlin!

I contacted Brian about the problem, but I don't believe that there is anything he can do.

ok, Im done breathing now...

When this story last left off I believe I was at the castle after the battle.
-----------------------------------

Bug is standing outside the castle in the battle grounds talking to merlin.

Merlin: "You see the dark wizard set all this up as a diversion. His main battle plan..."

Suddenly bug blacks out. What seems like a few seconds later he wakes up and picks himself up off the ground. Looking around, and trying to remember where he is he notices that everyone else has been subject to the same effect.

Bug: "wWhat just happened?"

Merlin: "I fear the dark wizard has cast an evil spell over all of us. We may have been unconsious for a long time Im afraid."

Bug: "You mean we've been lying here for hours?!!"

Merlin: "judging by the look and smell of those corpses out on the battlefield, I'd say about a week. or longer"

Bug: "ugggggg.. that takes away your appitite. well, maybe just a little. I don't know about you merlin, but after going for a week without eating I could probably eat one of those corpses."

------------------
Good pitching can always stop good hitting and vice versa.
- Yogi Berra?

Well guys, I talked with Brian and he said that there weren't any stray messages in the forums. I guess that means that the posts are gone, eliminated, and kaput. Also I got an e-mail from Merlin saying that he had to wipe his hard drive and in the process lost his modem! So he won't be online much. Seem this thread is ill fated. But let's not get discouraged! This has been a great story! Lat's keep goin kids!

Well Ping_Me, if you could start it off again, I'm sure I can pick it up again(writing). And Merlin feared of being controllitive of this story, yet I think we all really needed him to help guide us in writing. If only I could think of a good way to pick up on the story again, I would write tons more.

---You're absolutly right!!! Here we go!!---

King (What-is-this-guy's-name-anyway?) looked over the battle field. He couldn't feel sorry for the loss of his men. There was no time for that. The wind blew chill from the high window he looked out from. Soldiers and peasant's alike milled about below tending to the dead and disposing of the bones. An entire separate group had been formed to dispose of the undead. Many feared a curse mmight be laid on those who handled them, those that did handle them were paid well...

It was time to put aside the this and his daughter's wedding for the very important business that now faced him, his kindom and the rest of the kindoms in the world. He solemnly turned to the page who was waiting on him.

"Summon Merlin and Company and my War Council to the main hall." the page bowed and headed off. The king snapped his fingers and servants appeared with a golden suit of armor.

*From my ancestors time this suit has been worn in the most dire times. I pray to God that it will serve us in our time of need.* He thought to himself.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Ji'tory wept. Sobbs wracking her body. She had had a long time to think on the events that took place between herself and the man she thought she loved, and who she thought loved her back. She was beginning to wan't to take back what she had said. Her words were spoken in haste and in anger. But not just anger at Ping but anger at herself. She knew that Ping told the truth when he had spoken to her, her world had suddenly fallen apart and the only thing she could do is strike out at some one to make herself feel better.

Did her world fall apart? Or did it come together? When he said that he never meant any romantic innuendo, she knew it for truth and berated herself for not seeing it before. Everything had come together -painfully-.

She soon realized that she was huddled in a ball in a corner of a wine cellar. The corner was dirty, even a little slimy. There was no light. But her elven eyes could see much better in the dark than any human could. The room was small, only contaiing herself and three large wooden barrels, quite possibly filled with wine.

She sat upright and drew her knees up to her chest. She laid her arms on her knees, then her chin on her arms. She was unaware of the passage of time there and had not known about the battles that had been fought outside. Had she known she wouldn't have cared if the world had come to an end, even if she had front row seats for it. Time passed slowly and her tears lessened. She still felt very empty inside.

She heard footsteps in the hall accompanied by a small light that she could see through the crack that separated the door and the stone floor. The latch on the door lifted and it creaked open, light spilled into the room. Her eyes stung at the sight of a single candle and a hooded man carrying that candle. He brought the candle before him so that she could see him face.

Merlin smiled at her, really the only thing he could do. Ji'tory looked at him and then at the floor again. Somtimes words aren't needed to have a conversation. The silence that filled to room spoke of her guilt and her sorrow. Merlin simle faded to a knowing look. He had heard everything from Ping_me. Except for where to find her. That hadn't been too hard. Still sitting on the ground she turned her head to look at Merlin.

"What can I do now?" She spoke barely above a whisper. Her voice was cracking due to hours of crying.

Merlin set the candle upon one of the casks of wine in the room and crouched down next to her. "There is only healing now." He looked at her like a long lost daughter. "When you've fallen so far that there is nowhere left to fall, that is when healing begins." Her took her by the hand and brought her to her feet. "That will come in time. We have a world to heal now. You are key to that healing. In time you will see that." He started to exit the room. "The king has summoned us all to a war council in the main hall."

He turned to notice that she was not following. She held her head in her hands. "I can't face him." She nearly sobbed.

Coming back to her, "Ji'tory you have to. This pain will only eat you from the inside if you continue to let it go." She looked at him and nodded. Reluctantly she followed him up the long stairs into the main part of the castle.

PIng_Me absently fingered the wooden table in front of him. The BIG, LONG, wooden table. Excessivly long in fact. One could stretch out his arms at both sides and not touch the person next to him. The table was shaped much like a thermometer, in that it was rectangular at one end but was wide and circular at the other. The latter reseved for the king and his councilors. Ping sat one seat down from the bulbous, circular end. The seat to his left was vacant, reserved for Merlin. The seat across from him was also vacant, it was Ji'tory's. However to his right Dragonfly sat. Across from him Turneh (sp?) sat. Right to Dragonfly sat Gebohq and then Avenger, Orca, and Bug. Across from Gebhoq sat Dwin, Across from where Merlin would sit, sat Scout.

Everyone looked equally bored.

Suddenly the main hall doors opened revealing Merlin and Ji'tory. He directed her to her seat across from Ping. He himself strode to his proper seat. Ji'tory slowly sat down not looking at Ping. After a while she did. Ping could see her red eyes and tear streaked face. They held eack others gaze for a minute until they were interrupted by a fanfare of trumpets.

In front of the kings end of the table there were a great set of stairs. Long mostly. Pillars lined the top of them. One the back wall a pair of heavy, ornate wooden door slowly opened admitting the king and his advisors. Most of the advisors were clad in bule or purple cloaks. Under those thier fasions varied as to which land province they came from. They all took their respective seats. The kind himself walk ceremoniusly down the stairs in a heavy gold outfit of armor. He sat down on the throne that was placed for him at the head of the table. And then there was another fanfare of trumpets.

"I don't belieeeve this." Bug said in annoyance.

All attention was on the king and his attention was on everyone else. His gaze drifted across the assembly untill his eyes fell on Scout.

"I am not familiar with you. You were not among Merlins origional party when he arrived here."

One of the king's advisors rose. "Her name is Scout your highness. Her story is that she "dug" her way out from the cellar floor in one of the bottomost parts of the castle. Senty reports confirm that."

"Do you trust her Merlin?" the king said

"She fought one of the Dark Wizards on the battlefield, your majesty, nearly to the point of death, hadn't it been for Dragonfly. Yes, I trust her."

"Then I will trust her as well." the king said sagely, "Now Merlin you will explain your business here."

"But.. sire!" The advisor stuttered. "You can't know.."

The king waved his hand in dissmissal of the matter. "There is no time for discussion of this matter. If I begin to question to loyalty of all these warriors here present we will be here when the world falls on us." The advisor sat down meekly. "Please, Merlin, if you will..."

(Read the citadel post and pages 1-5 of this post if you have nothing better to do.)

"...and that's about it king." Bug and Avenger openly dozed. Even Ping_Me, who needs no sleep, started to nodd. Merlin rolled his eyes at the snoring. "I will hold a war council at my Citadel, and bring an ambassador from every race to this council. There we shall forge plans for the attack on the dwelling of the Dark Wizards."

"Then you will need an ambassador from my people then. I would come myself but I must remain here if there is another battle to be fought." He motioned to a servant. Who knelt beside him. The king spoke somthing inaudible and the servant rushed off. "I will therefore send my eldest son. He is very able-bodied and is good at tactics."

After a short while the servant returned followed by a big man. He was very broad in the shoulders and muscular. He face was rugged and he had raven dark hair. He wore very plain clothes, for a prince. A white shirt and brown pants. About his shoulders he wore a large red cloak fastened on one side by a golden brooch. He stood proudly next to his father.

"Reyuan shall be my ambassador to the council." the king said with finality.

The council broke up an hour later, after dicussing plans of war on the Dark Wizards.
Ping rose from his chair and found that Reyuan and speaking with Ji'tory. She was actually laughing with him and converseing freely! Ping looked at them and decided not to interfere. Merlin put a hand on Ping shoulder and said, "That would be the better thing for her." Ping tried not to show any surprise. It was weird the way Merlin knew thing somtimes. Merlin watched as Ping walked out of the hall.

Um, I couldn't be at the council meeting. I'm a LONG way away, in the Stygian capital, helping Flaming Demon.

------------------
-Space Orca
Space Orca's best qoutes:
"The Force is strong in you. The force of my lightsaber coming down!"
"A planet of pokemon? Don't bomb it from orbit. A few might survive. Get the Death Star in here!"
"Hmmmm... It looks like my Lightsaber needs a little repair work. Know of any lightsaber repair shops in town?"
"Luke Skywalker drew his lightsaber... and turned it in to the art teacher"
"Pokemon is spelled S-T-U-P-I-D!"
If you have any more funny quotes, just send them to me.

(wow! I'm feeling like a novice writer now because of Ping's great writing. In other words Ping, good job and keep it up! Now it is my turn to write...)

Avenger: "Ok, we're all set. Let's get going back to the monestary."

*The others patiently sit still at the table while Avenger runs out of the castle. Moments later, he comes back, with a confused look on his face.*

Avenger: "Merlin, where are the dragons to take us back?"

Merlin: "They are performing their ritual, a very important one that prepares them for a great battle. I am sorry, all of you, but we will have to walk back to the monestary.*

*Everybody groans at the thought of walking, they were all hoping to take a break.*

Merlin: "Well, we better be heading out. We can't waste any time, for we need all the time we can get."

*Merlin and his party then get up from their seats, collect their inventory needed, and head off for the monestary. It would be a tedious trek indeed.*
(I put this part in the story so if anyone would like to develop on their characters by probing into their minds, their thoughts, they could do so.)
--------------------------------------------
*The party trekked through the mountainous trail, heading for the monestary. The party walked in a semi-single file line, with Ping_me and the human ambasador named Reyeun in front, Merlin and Ji'tory following them, then Dragonfly, Avenger, Dwin, Bug, and the others. Trodding behind the group was Gebohq, leading the rear with his head down and his mind elsewhere. //There's a lot ahead to deal with. How am I going to fight these powerful Dark Wizards? How am I going to help? What am I talking about, I only get in the way. I should just stay out of the way, let them deal with it. It's not my problem, I could just go back and forget about it all. NO! If I do that, I'd become my own enemy. I got involved with this as soon as I came into the situation. I can't back out of this now. But what can I do? I wish I knew...//

[This message has been edited by Gebohq (edited November 06, 1999).]

[This message has been edited by Gebohq (edited November 06, 1999).]

(few notes on the story for Ping_Me. From what Merlin told me a long time ago, when the party is at Merlin's citadel, they hold the war coucil and decide on the plans. They also have Merlin and Dwin make the sword that is destined to defeat the Dark Wizard. I'm pretty sure the party has to hike through the Misty Mountains and the dead forest to the Dark Towers, where Merlin transporst the armys to fight the Dark Wizard's Army(I don't know how) and the party members fight the dark wizards. I don't know if he told you this, so I just made a note of it. Now back to the story)

*Deep within the Dark Towers, Bazaal the leader of the Dark Wizards, was holding a meeting with his other subservient wizards. They all stood around a dark pool of water embedded into the floor. The water reflected an image not of them, but of their enemy: Merlin and his party.*

Bazaal: "None of you have yet to stop Merlin and his party members. (looks at Cathar and Kircha)You had your chance to stop them and you failed."

Kircha: "So did your son."

*They look at the Dark Child, smiling at his father with a malignant innocence.*

Bazaal: "You are not to call my son a failure like yourselves. He did a better job than you did, he drove away a previous member of Merlin's part, Flamethrower they called him.(Bazaal smiled at his son approvingly, then back at the others) You all will do better to stop Merlin's party, or else. Dismissed."

*The dark wizards were leaving the room except his wife Jezaba and his son to assist Bazaal in the final battle.*

Bazaal: (to the dark wizards leaving) "You, come here. I must talk to you about our plans."

*The unidentified dark wizard, cloaked by the darkness of the room, came to Bazaal.*

Bazaal: "I have something special planned for Merlin's party. You will crush their will to fight along with their hope of winning."

*They continued to talk about the plans. The pool of water in the center continued to show Merlin's party trudging through the mountanous path. Bazaal looked into the reflection of them and laughed.*

(I will put in my Dark wizard, so please do not have teh unidentified wizard do anything, he is the wizard I plan to include. But I'll need to know if Ping will continue the story as Merlin planned it, going through teh misty mountains and all.)

[This message has been edited by Gebohq (edited November 06, 1999).]

---Thanks, for telling me Orca. I wasn't really sure who was here and who wasn't. Yeah, Gebohq, I basically know the story like the back of my hand. Merlin and I have milled over it time and again. But, I'm really afraid of everyone not having any imput or say in the story. Side note: Merlin wanted to stop back at the Monastary before we went to the citadel. So nobody jump ahead of me just yet.---

*I'm back! I can see Ping_me and Gebohq having been doing wonderfully in my breif absence. Thanks! Thank you also Gebohq for reminding everyone about what I said earlier, and yes I intend to continue the story with a journey on foot through the Misty Mountians and Dark Woods (which will take a while post wise).*

The party continued to walk through the woods. Ping_me and Merlin now are in a postion of the line so none of the rest of the party can hear them.

Ping_me (to Merlin): Merlin, have you ever known what it is to love a woman?

Merlin pauses.

Merlin: Yes. Once. I didn't tell this to everyone, but . . . if you remeber the young woman you saw in my memories, the one that was . . . corrupted, by Bazaal's shadow.

Ping_me (softly): Yes.

Merlin (his voice now breaks): She was to be my wife.

Merlin exhales raggedly.

Merlin (his voice now more under control, but he stares foward without looking): I heard he cry out my name as it happened. . . as she . . . writhed in pain, she begged me to kill her. . . I did in mercy. I have never loved another like that since.

Both walk silently for several minutes.

Merlin (now with a soft smile on his face): She always dreamed of having a daughter. I shared that dream too. That is why I care so much for Ji'tory. Even though she isn't really my daughter, I care for her like the daughter I never had. That is why it hurts me so much, what Bazaal did to her. Why I keep blaming myself.

Ping_me (softly): Merlin, you were asleep, you didn't know what was happening.

Merlin: But still, with all my power I should have been able to do something. . .

Ping_me: It isn't your fault.

Merlin: I just don't know. . .

Ping_me now looks foward to Ji'tory and Reyuan who are talking with each other. Merlin notices Ping_me watching Ji'tory.

Merlin: The begining of love. Strange isn't it Ping_me. How in losing you she finds another. Suffering leads at times to renewal. You and I have both lost our chance at that kind of love. You by incapablilty, I by loss. Let us pray theirs shines through.

[This message has been edited by Merlin (edited November 06, 1999).]

The party continued on soon night began to fall again and they approached the monestary they had stayed not more than a couple of days before. As they approached they heard a bell tolling.

Gebohq (to Merlin): The bells. What do they mean?

Merlin: Their funeral bells.

Everyone began to pick up their pace to see what had happened. As they now could see the gates they could see the procession emerging from the gates carrying a very ornamental casket.

Everyone in the party stopped in their tracks. Merlin fell to his knees. Ji'tory's hand went to her mouth as she saw the casket.

Avenger (looking at everyone else): I don't understand?

Reyuan: Only one man in a monestary has a casket that ornate. . . the abbot.

Ji'tory (whispered sadly): Johnathan.

Merlin stares up into the overcast heavens and cries out.

Merlin: Johnathan!

Thunder rumbles in the heavens. Suddenly the sky let loose with a down pour of rain. Merlin kneels there in the rain. Merlin's head falls to his chest covering his eyes with his hands. He weeps bitterly. Ji'tory kneels down next to him, putting her arm around him to comfort him as the heavens cry.

Umm...whoops. I'll just change my previous post about going to the citadel to having them go to the monestary. And now that your back Merlin, expect an e-mail from me soon.

---alright! Nevermind, We got Merlin back, I was afraid we'd have lost him for a long time.---

Ping walked slowly by himself. They were crossing a large field of open grass. Off to their far right mountains rose up into the crystal blue sky. Due to the type of rock they seemed purple, capped with pure white snow. The land rolled on in front of them, dipping and rising again in a series of hills that stretched into the distance.

Ping noticed hardly any of it. There was a gloom about him as of late. He looked disconsolantly at the ground. Watching every mile go by. Stone by stone, pebble by pebble.
Time had no meaning and seemed to fly by. He was startled to notice a shadow on the ground next to him. He followed the shadow up to it's owner and saw Reyuan. He walked silently next to him. A fresh spring in his step.

Ping looked back behind him. Ji'tory walked some ways back talking to Dragonfly. Ping resumed his forward gaze at the ground, but noticed Reyuan looking at him. With a goofy grin on his face.

"She's really somthing isn't she? Beautiful, intelligent..." He trailed off expecting an answer.

Ping looked at him from out of the corner of his eye, "Yeah.. I guess.." He said non-commitally. He faded back into silence.

They walked on. Reyuan looked at him for awhile. Ping didn't return his look. "There's somthing going on between you two isn't there? Yes, I think so. Whenever she looks at you there is pain in her face. I haven't ever seen you two talk together since I met all of you. You didn't do somthing to hurt her did you?!?"

Ping continued to look at the ground. "Go ask her for yourself."

Reyuan frowned at Ping_Me and fell back to talk to Ji'tory. Ping continued to look at the ground for some amount of time. By this time the sun was beginning to dip to the horizon. The afternoon was turning golden. Truly like the song they seemed to walk in feilds of gold. After a while they exited the field for a stony forest. small boulders rose from the ground amid tall oaks. Their path began to slope upward. Ping never looked back for fear of maybe embarassing Ji'tory. Time passed and Ping knew that telling the story of what happened would be painful for her. It was painful for him. He wasn't totally devoid of emotion. His compassion level had been set very high in his creator's latter days as a "quick fix" to his shortcoming. But it was sort of like building a house with duct tape instead of nails. I just doesn't work.

The forest path leveled out. But the trees became more sparse -but not losing their height- and the boulders more numerous. Varying in hight and width, light-grey to white in color. The path ran on in front of them. Somtimes it had cart tracks on it, somtimes not. Somtimes it ran on rock, somtimes not. Evening approached. Reyuan returned.

Reyuan looked at Ping for a minute. "She's afraid you won't forgive her."

Now Ping was genuinely surprised, and unlike himself he showed it. "It against my nature not to forgive somone."

"Go tell her that for yourself." He said in direct relation to Ping's earlier words to him.

Ping stopped dead in his tracks and let the party pass. Bug seemed to be entertaining Avenger and Dragonfly, trying to play Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on a single blade of grass. Her started walking again as soon an Ji'tory approached. She looked at him in surprise and turned her head away.

Ping matched her pace. "It's okay, Ji'tory."

She jumped a little and looked at him out of the corner of her eye, her head slightly bowed. She then sighed heavily. "Thank you, Ping." They walked onward for sometime in silence. Not the silence that speaks. Just silence.

The boulder forest continued on.

"He's really somthing isn't he? Beautiful, intelligent..." She said.

If Ping was surprised before, he was even more so now. (hello anime face-fault ^_^).
"Uh, yeah..." He said.

//Seems she's healing just fine!// Ping thought to himself.

---Thanks all you guys for the compliments!! I got the warm fuzzies now )---

---whoops looks like I was gone a little long there. I thought we we're going to have some character development. Just read my post in context of before Merlins new one.--

[I'm just gonig to be at the Stygian capital until you come for me. Time to try to convince me to come with you...]
*Meanwhile, the Stygians are having celebrations as they have liberated their capital.*
Orca-Flaming Demon, you did well. But how can we expect to hold the city aganst futher attacks?
Flaming Demon-Its quite simple. I want you to defend the city. You proved yourself by holding off one of the Dark Wizards in a sword fight and even scoring a minor injury.
Orca-But I can't fight a horde of enemies!
Flaming Demon-Ah, but you can. Eveil can overcome other evil. While inside the Stygian Capital's limits you have no need to worry about the Dark Wizards taking your mind over. Use your "force" spells on the enemy!
Orca-If you say so... //I'm still a little nervous!//

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-Space Orca
Space Orca's best qoutes:
"The Force is strong in you. The force of my lightsaber coming down!"
"A planet of pokemon? Don't bomb it from orbit. A few might survive. Get the Death Star in here!"
"Hmmmm... It looks like my Lightsaber needs a little repair work. Know of any lightsaber repair shops in town?"
"Luke Skywalker drew his lightsaber... and turned it in to the art teacher"
"Pokemon is spelled S-T-U-P-I-D!"
If you have any more funny quotes, just send them to me.

Hey Merlin, I was wondering if you could write me into the story some how. I've been out of the loop cuz of computer failure and I wanted to play a more active role in the story but my comp screwed up on me and I had to go get it fixed. I would write myself in but wouldn't know where to start at this point in the story. Thx.

2 things to Ping_Me:

1) I wanted to ask about the second question over e-mail when I realized you don't have it posted up with your member name! How am I suppose to contact you? Argh! If you want to keep it personal, just e-mail me, I promise not to spread it or anything(why would I want to anyway?)

2) I wanted to know how old you are. Mainly because if your older or the same age as me, I'd feel better about having a writer that writes better than me(and yes I am jealous ). Again, if you'd rather not disperse your age over the net, e-mail it to me. And for the rest of you, I'm 16 and plan to take a creative writing class next semester(so this is like brushing up on my writing skills!).
-------------------------------------------
And oh my god! It's Shawn Templer, risen from the dead! Hey shawn, last I remembered, you were practicing at Merlin's citadel for the big battle. Since our party will come back there before the final battle, you can join in there. But then we're left to wonder why Mr. Templer didn't come with Merlin's party to the human's area of the world. Hmm....

What will happen to our party in peril? What's in store for their future? If only I knew...

[This message has been edited by Gebohq (edited November 06, 1999).]

As the mournful rain pours down on the funeral procession, Scout trails behind Merlin's company, able to tell that it is a sad occasion, but unable to connect with it directly.

"Such a sad tale, isn't it?" came a quiet voice from beside her. She looked down, and spotted a wet, mangy looking black rat.

Stopping in her tracks, Scout looks at the talking rat. "Who are you?"

Dirtbag points after the receding ressession. "They... they haven't told you about me? Really, I'm shocked. Probably no one outside their own party has had such an affect on the poor souls." He shook his head. "Ungrateful so-and-sos, but hey, that's life, y'know? In any event, you can call me Dirtbag. It's a term of endearment, really."

Scout nodded skeptically. "Right, whatever you say. Now what do you want?"

"Want?" Dirtbag said innocently. "I just want to mourn the poor abbot, just like all these other yahoos. Such a sad, sad thing, isn't it?"

"I suppose it is..."

"So you're new to Merlin's little party, eh?"

"That's right."

Dirtbag looked her over, focusing especially on the dull, chipped sword she'd been carrying around strapped to her back. "In the name of goodness and light," Dirtbag exclaimed. "They don't make you fight with that!"

Scout glanced at the swords hilt. "Well, it's worked all right so far..."

"My dear," Dirtbag said sternly, "That is no weapon for a warrior such as yourself." After reaching into his mouth, the rat, like a sword swallow yakking up his lunch, pulled out a sword that was entirely too long to fit inside of his body. "Take this one instead, I insist."

Scout took the sword tentatively. It gleamed in the filted sunlight showing through the rough storm clouds, the jewels on it's golden hilt sparkling. It was long and thin, designed for speed and movement instead of powerful whacking. "How did you do that?"

Dirtbag shrugged. "Hey, no ordinary rat can talk, right?"

Scout managed a smirk. "Thanks."

"No problem. Hey, I'll let you get back to your party. You need bonding and all that good stuff."

Scout looked at the little rodent. "What about you? Why don't you join us?"

"Eh, it's not my thing. I'm sort of a loner with a big heart, y'know? Don't worry, I'll be around. But hey, let's just keep this to yourself, all right? I can't be lobbing schimitars at every poor schmoe in Merlin's army, now can I?" And with that, Dirtbag scampered off into the shadowy woods.

Scout gave her new sword another look, it's sparkle reflecting in her dark eyes. She hurried to catch up with the rest of the procession.

*Meanwhile, in Bazaal's tower, Bazaal orders his whole second and third armies to assault the Stygian Capital*
_____________________________________________

Two days later....

Orca- Hey, Flaming Demon, look at that!
Flaming Demon-What?
Orca-Those black specks in the distance that are gettign bigger... Can you get me my telescope?
*Flaming Demon runs off and returns a minute later with Orca's telescope.*
Orca-Never mind, they're closing fast enough anyway! Those are death knights, probably the prelude to a full-scale assault on us!
Flaming Demon-I shall rally our armies and station by the gates.
Orca-NO! Equip almost all of your troops with lnog range weapons such as bows or throwing spears. Have them hide in buildings. It looks like we're going to have to wage a guerilla war.
Flaming Demon-You want me to use my magic powers to transform you all into guerillas? That just dosn't make sense!
Orca-No! Never mind, okay? Guerilla war means sniping at the enemy, never fighting a decisive engagement.
Flaming Demon-Oh, all right. I'll get the troops and position them.
Orca-Good.
Flaming Demon-But what about you? Aren't you coming?
Orca-No.
Flaming Demon-What in hecks name are you going to do then?
Orca-Play some little tricks on them... You'll see. Just get me control of the gates and everything else around here. Thats key!
Flaming Demon-Here you go then! *Hands Orca a control device*
Orca-Thanks. Now go get the troops under cover!
*Meanwhile, as this is happening, the armies of darkness have almost reached the gates. Flaming Demon's troops hide themselves as instructed, and Orca places some homemade explosives in key places, getting ready.*


------------------
-Space Orca
Space Orca's best qoutes:
"The Force is strong in you. The force of my lightsaber coming down!"
"A planet of pokemon? Don't bomb it from orbit. A few might survive. Get the Death Star in here!"
"Hmmmm... It looks like my Lightsaber needs a little repair work. Know of any lightsaber repair shops in town?"
"Luke Skywalker drew his lightsaber... and turned it in to the art teacher"
"Pokemon is spelled S-T-U-P-I-D!"
If you have any more funny quotes, just send them to me.

---I e-mailed ya Gebohq. I never put up my e-mail adress cos somebody might decide to start spamming me or somthing. I know Massassi doesn't give out that info but I just like to be safe.

Welcome back Shawn.

I just want to clear up somthing here. Who and where is the Merfolk ambassador? I know the Goblin ambassador is at the Citadel. Is there anybody else waiting there besides Shawn?---

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Highway psycology:
The guy you pass on your right, is an idiot
The guy who passes you on your left, is a maniac

well my comp was screwing up on me and i had to get it fixed so i wasn't able to write anything. oh well, guess i missed all of the action.
--------------------------------------------
*Shawn sits on one of the balconys of the citidal, he closes his eyes and begins to concentrate. with much effort, shawn is lifted off of the ground and leveates a few feet above it. He opens his eyes and falls hard on the ground below.*

Shawn - ouch, well, I won't try that again. wonder when Merlin and his party will be getting back. oh well, guess I'll rest up a bit before i head out for some fun.

*shawn walks toward his room passing the goblin and merfolk ambassador. he gets to his room and lies his sword next to the bed and layes down, shawn soon falls asleep.*

------
*meanwhile back the Dark Wizards tower. The Dark wizard looks over the situation.*

dark wizard - hmmmm, there are only three people at Merlins citidal. Shawn Templar, what strange powers do you hold. Powers that i have not seen in this realm. You would make an excellent addition to my army.

---------
*shawn wakes up in a feild of grass somewhere deep in the forests near Merlins Citidal.*

Shawn - What?! how did i get here. Last thing i remember is going to sleep in Merlins Citidal.

*he hears something behind him. Shawn snaps around to see what it is and draws his sword. he looks around to see what it is when he realises for the first time that there is blood on his sword.*

Shawn - Huh, How did blood get on my sword. This is too strange,

Strange voice - Shawn do you really think that you would be the only one untouched by my power. You have done all of my work for me, as you sleep, you kill your friends in this realm.

Shawn - You Lie! I did no such thing.

Strange voice - See for your self.

*with that said, a strange mist appears and forms into a circle, in the circle shawn sees Merlin and company all dead, slain by himself.*

Shawn - This didn't happen, its not true. I could never do this to them.

*Shawn drops his sword and falls to his knees holding his head in pain form the vision that he just saw.*

Shawn - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Strange voice - hahahahahahaa. You see shawn, you are the evil one that they feared. you slayed all of them for me.

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I can become enraged like Vegeta, if i smile, run...................very fast.