--I'm back. Sorry I was gone so long again. I hope everyone (like Ping_me) didn't give up on the story while I was gone. My modem is back and running (but it seems to be cursed!) (First this tread gets deleted, then my modem won't work, then it act weird when I get it to work (eiree huh?)) Anyway, the modem will get me on line and all, and I can get back to the story again, but no I can't seem to get Java to work (now I have to type in all e-mail adresses BY HAND! What a pain!) I don't know why Java won't work now! Anyway, good going guys with the story while I was gone, Orca I didn't realize that about you, but since I already did it and since really when I write the story I tend to redo some characters (I hope you don't take offense), but that part about eating dirtbag (UHGGG!) wasn't real, the Orac in my story was just saying that (he wouldn't have actually done it, who would!). Also, no I didn't know you had taken one of my books, and I thought we all kinda knew where you had gone. (Man! The more I write here the more different the story I'm writing gets!) Oh, also the Carnid character just introduced (he seems like a kind of wizard but he can't be one of the Dark Wizards that work for Bazaal since all of them are accounted for now). Also I wanted to give everyone a clearer veiw of Bazaal again (I perfer to compare him to Magus from "Chrono Trigger, so think of him in those terms) But unlike Magus (who at least has some human compassion, however small) Bazaal has NONE. He desires only power, and using it. In fact it brings him pleasure to use his power to inflict suffering (remeber how he cut out Jason's eyes) (yes, ugh!) Bazaal on his own turf could easily take out the Emperor and Vader combined (mind you I said on his own turf, not in the star wars universe, maybe). (firing lightning and fire from his hands is child's play for him) He can move like a shadow (as described in the Jason post). While he doesn't look muscular he is very strong (able to pick up Jason off the floor with one hand (like vader) though he doesn't have anything resembling "force grip" in his magical arsenal, he doesn't need it. Anyway, I got off the topic, so back to the tale.
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Scout, Bug (who is wounded), and Gebohq return to the monestary and while Merlin tries to treat (to the best of his abilities) Bug's wound, Scout finishes regaleing them with what happened.
Scout: So the being vanished, and as you can see bug is injured.
Merlin: Hmmmmm . . . Well, this wound seems poisoned by something in the gauntlet he was wearing. I think I've counter acted it, I hope. (Merlin bandages the wound)
Bug: YOU HOPE?! I thought you knew this kind of stuff.
Merlin: I am not all knowing Bug. I have my limitations. We will just keep an eye on the wound and treat it if it gets worse.
Now it is morning and the party heads out across the human territory, and as the sun set they were ferried across the channel. Now as the stars shown overhead they again met with Balthazar (who was now well rested), that night they rode on Balthazar's back, resting as the soft rasping of Balthazar's wings carried them toward the citadel. This continued into the next day (as I said Balthazar was very well rested) and carried the party the next day with out stop to the citadel, which they arrived at that evening. As Balthazar lands the party regreets its other members. Yorg had returned. So had Shawn Templar returned as well and Lina was with him. And Orca stands there hold one of Merlin's books.
Merlin: It is good you came back Shawn. And who is this?
Shawn: She is Lina.
Merlin: Welcome Lina. (Merlin to Shawn) I know you'll take good care of her.
Shawn wondered how in the world could Merlin know. . . but he couldn't.
Orca: I . . . Uh, borrowed on of your books while you were gone.
Merlin: I hope you made wise use of it. (now to everyone) But now we must begin the war council, our other concerns for the time being should be put aside, now the fate of this world rest in our hands.
The company stands in a circle around the main fire. Merlin waves his hands over the fire and an image appears. A map of the world.
Merlin: To reach the Dark Towers, we must first travel through the Misty Mountians and then through the Dark forest. I have no doubt that Bazaal with make many ambush attempts. We are going into the heart of darkness. We can't risk bringing all of the armies through with us for the ambushes would wipe out most of our troops en route. I will "bring" the armies there once we are outside Bazaal's castle. That will mean that our party must make the journey there on foot.
Orca: Why not ride Balthazar to the castle?
Merlin: Because we would be shot out of the sky by Bazaal and the other Dark Wizards before were were even close. And it is alot less to fall from if you are already on the ground. Once we arrive at the outside of the castle I will "bring" the rest of the armies there, including Balthazar. Once the armies are there the battle will begin. I will guide the battle from behind the lines at first. Ji'tory I want you to lead the Elven archers.
Ji'tory: This will cause conflict with Sakana.
Merlin: I know. I pray he is wise enough not to bicker in a battle situation. Afarassa, I want you to lead your people the Merfolk. They will be in the sea outside Bazaal's castle. Once the battle is past the mid point, you will lead your people in a strike from the sea. I know Bazaal will probably have his major army on skelatal foot soldiers in the valley just before the castles front gate. Behind them, the skeleatal archer, who will constantly pose a threat throught the battle. But I have a plan involving the Goblin and Dwarven contributions that will take care of them at the midpoint of the battle. When the battle starts the Archers will fire a volley into the skeletal army, though we all know that may not do to much good. They the human and Elven foot soldiers lead by you Reyaun will charge down this hill into the valley and the pitch battle will begin. But all in all this battle while important is also important in that it will draw much of the troops out of Bazaal's castle for the key part of the plan. If we are to defeat Bazaal, we will have to strike at the root itself. While the battle rages on outside our party will regroup (except you Afarassa who will be leading the Merfolk and you Yorg who will be leading the Goblin faction) and take on the most important task of all, we will infiltrate the castle itself and take on the six dark wizards including Bazaal himself. Due to the pitch battle the dragons can't attack the skeletal armies directly during the battle. But they will attack the castle walls, hopefully taking out archers on the walls and attacking any troop reinforcements. They may attack the walls but they must keep their distance, due to the fact that if some of the Dark wizards strike back the and any of the Dragon's are killed they would fall right on to our army.
Merlin (now in a quiter tone): I must warn all of you. On this journey to Bazaal's castle and especially more so inside his castle he will try to set us against each other. In his castle he will play off our wants and desires, or hopes and dreams. He will set us against each other, sowing doubt and fear. A place filled with illusion and death. I know Bazaal's style. We won't deal with them all at once. Rather each one will have his try at us. We will have to get through each of them before we can reach Bazaal. Ours will be the most important and most dangerous of tasks. You could say, this is the end of the begining. Before now all our travels were in preperation for this task. Now we will really begin to face evil itself. For we are marching into nothing less than a living hell. May God be with us all. But I think he is with us more than we realize.
Merlin pulls out the rock that Dragonfly's wife gave Dragonfly.
Merlin: This stone was given to us by Dragonfly's decesased wife, now a servant of our lord. As we traveled I realized its importance. It is time to forge a weapon that can defeat Bazaal.
With that Merlin waves his had and the wall nearby fades away revealing a door. Merlin opens it and decends a flight of stairs. He returns with an old book in one hand and a staff in the other.
Merlin: Dwin, I want you to start a forge here. I will provide the materials you need. Balthazar will provide the fire.
Dwin: A Dragon's fire! That will melt any metal we work with!
Merlin: Not this metal.
Merlin walks into his lab and carries out the materials Dwin requirea and Balthazar started the fire with his breath that blazed saphire blue. Dwin began to work with the metal.
Merlin: Forge it into a sword Dwin.
Dwin nodded. Merlin placed two pedastals on the floor. On the one closest to the forge he placed the stone. One the other one farther from the forge he set his book.
Merlin: I didn't think the day would come that I would have to use this book again. Now it has come.
Merlin opened the book. Its pages were filled with strange runes written in black ink. Merlin stood before the book at Dwin now began banging the hot metal with his tools to make it into the shape of a sword. Merlin out stretched his arms and spoke in a tounge no one there recognized. Suddenly the runes on the paper glowed and looked as if they were painted with flowing rainbow colored ink. A rainbow colored light glowed from the pages. But it was soon eclipsed as the stone glowed a brilliant white light. The light seemed to ripple toward the sword. Suddenly the stone vanished and the light "moved" to the sword as Dwin struck it one final time. Then Dwin lowered the sword into the water when he pulled it out only Merlin didn't show his suprise. For now emerged a fully made sword with what looked like a strong silver blade, but it shone like a mirror.
Merlin: Behold! The sword!
Merlin walked over to Dwin and grasped the swords hilt (which to Dwin suprise didn't burn Merlin's hand for he thought it should still be hot but it wasn't).
Reyaun: I don't see how a single sword can help us.
Merlin: Then draw your sword, and duel me. Let us test the swords metal.
With that Reyaun and Merlin began to duel. It was fast a furious. Merlin kept up with Reyaun in contrast to what a man his age should be capable of. For the most part Reyaun was on the offensive. But every so often Merlin struck back, but not hard.
Reyaun: Come on Merlin. I know you can do better than that.
Suddenly Merlin made a quick motion of the his sword. As he expected Reyaun brought his sword up to block, but what happened next no one expected. A sound like thunder shook the room. Followed by the clang of metal striking the floor, specifically, the top half of Reyaun's sword for it has been broken in two! Merlin took a step back and shifted the sword out of the fighting postion. Ji'tory's eyes went wide and her hand went to her mouth. Showing more suprise than anyone else in the room. Merlin sensed it too.
Merlin (to Ji'tory): You know something.
Ji'tory: Not exactly. I just remebered a tale my grandfather told me when I was young. A ancient Elven phrophecy. That in the days of darkness, a sword would be forged. It would be called, "Consilium ex Deo" and though it the world would be saved. That it would be weilded by a great warrior, pure of heart. One final phrase always followed the tale. "The sword shall wield the warrior."
Merlin: Hmmmmm. . .That sounds like a good name for this sword. It shall be "Consilium ex Deo".
Ji'tory realized with a shiver that she had just helped fufill part of that prophecy.
Merlin: But who shall weild the sword? I can not weild it. I am wizard, not a warrior.
Merlin looked to each of them. To Ji'tory.
Ji'tory: I can't weild it.
To Orca.
Orac: I need no such sword.
To Ping_me.
Ping_me: I have my own sword.
And so it went to each one, each denying the sword untill they reached Reyaun.
Reyuan: I do not know if I am worthy to weild it.
Ji'tory: You must be the one Reyaun. You are a great warrior. You don't have a sword now. It is your destiny. Take it I know you must be the one.
Merlin held the sword unblinkingly. He shifted it so the blade was held by his robes the hilt outward facing Reyuan.
Merlin: Do what is in your heart. Take it if you feel it is your destiny.
Slowly Reyaun walked foward with Ji'tory looking on with encouragement. Reyaun reached out and took the sword. For a while no one spoke, each feeling they were witnessing history.
Merlin: I think we should all get some sleep. We will set out in the morning.
The each went to their own beds, though none slept really well. Knowing what lay ahead. Especially Ji'tory knowing every step she took now would lead her closer to the being who had. . . "assaulted" her. Quietly it scared her. Though she didn't show it to the others. Deep in her heart, which her mind did not yet know, she had wanted Reyaun to weild the sword, for she felt safe with him.
The morning came and they set out. By mid day they stood at the entrace into the Misty mountians. The mist lay heavy upon the mountians so one could not see very far ahead or behind one self. As the party marched into the mist they each remebered Merlin's words, "the end of the begining" and they each hoped the converse was not true, that this might be the begining of their end.
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With magic comes powerful responsiblity. One can limit oneself in love for others, or one can revel in power and do acts of great evil. I know I have seen evil and its power. I have felt it in my hands and mind. But in the end choose to love others, not power. The choice is yours. Choose wisely.
~The Wizard Merlin~
You can find the tale of the
"Saga of the Thrid War" at my library.
[This message has been edited by Merlin (edited November 14, 1999).]
"I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. So then it is no longer I that do it, but sin that which dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me."
~St. Paul to the church in Rome recorded in Romans 7:15-20.
So that we are set free from sin by Jesus, so we celebrate his birth on Christmas. Remeber this day with joy, when the angels sang, peace on earth good will toward men.
~Merlin