Fantasy Sorcery!!! (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

She walked on, climbing slightly across the dusty Steppes as she heard a screech in the distance behind her and saw a winged shape perching on the platform she just left. A Birdman? Whatever it was, it would not be wise to turn back.

Suddenly, the scrubland in front of her was broken by a small, waist-high wooden post, to which was nailed a written notice. The writing was crabby and difficult, but she was able to partially decipher it.

Stop traveller!
Every wish comes through. For this post marks the grave of the God Bennanga.
Call his name and close your eyes to be blessed forthwith!

- Call the name.
- Cast a spell.
- Walk on.

 

[Yokai]

>> Call the name <<
​

Fortune appeared to be on her side and Aquila quietly slipped away through the sand dunes leaving the platform behind her. Whether or not the figure had been a Birdman, Aquila didn't want to find out. She marched swiftly onward and only stopped at the sudden appearance of a written sign. Vermilion brows climbed her forehead at the sight -- the desert was an unusual place to have a religious declaration, wasn't it?

Then again, she was searching for a temple. Aquila did not recognise the name of this God, however, but she was afflicted with deep curiosity. Taking a breath and deciding to take a chance Aquila's eyes slipped closed. "Bennanga!" She called out over the plains.

 

[ArcticFox]

The sand blew in her face in the same instant, pricking her skin. The wind picked up around her to the point of making the air look like a whirlpool. The ground shook and made her trip up and fall down, twisting her ankle, though not causing too serious of an injury.

The weather turned in such a short time - the sun was gone and heavy clouds hung overhead. Suddenly as her eyes opened she saw a lighting hurling down from the sky straight at her. Only then she realised it was not a lightning - it was a hooked claw!

- Dodge left.
- Dodge right.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Dodge left <<​

It appeared that Aquila's quota for good fortune was completed for the day as the skies above her opened and claws descended. Without thinking she acted purely on primal instinct and dodged to the left. There wasn't time to think of a spell and then cast it she just needed to get clear of those claws.

 

[ArcticFox]

There was no way to predict the attack. She dodged purely on instinct, but it seemed that Panther was steering her in the right direction, as the claw stuck the dry earth beside her. But, it was not over yet!

The shape in sky reared in for another attack.

"Analander!" Hissed the wind. "I am the Air Serpent! I will taste your soul and your blood!"

Thunder boiled in the dark clouds.

- Look for its body.
- Draw your sword.
- Cast a spell.
- Run for it.

 

[Yokai]

>> Look for its body <<
​

Wind howled in her ears as Aquila's side connected with the safety of the sands, having successfully dodged the Serpent's claws. Shadrack's warning came to the forefront of her mind, reminding her of the creature's weakness. She had to find the body that'd been left behind and destroy it there. Aquila forced herself to her feet and prepared to dodge another attack, gaze quickly scanning the plains for the Air Serpent's abandoned body.

 

[ArcticFox]

Looking around for its corporal form, she could see nothing but dust.

"Foolish creature!" Bellowed the Snake. "You look for my body, but do you think I left it here for you to find?"

The wind blew dust and rubble past her. Something like a large dry leaf blew across the ground.

- Grab the leaf.
- Draw your sword.
- Cast a spell.
- Run for it.

 

[Yokai]

>> Grab the leaf <<
​

Aquila grimaced at the Serpent's taunting hiss because it was correct; she had hoped that it was foolish enough to leave it's body discarded. Things were beginning to look bleak -- if she couldn't find the body then she couldn't kill the Serpent. There was nothing she possessed that could defeat the creature without a corporal form to attack. Perhaps that was why when an object that looked like a large leaf blew across the desert sands Aquila made a grab for it.

 

[ArcticFox]

She made a grab for the leaf and caught it in both hands. Not a leaf. Snake skin. She heard the Air Serpent gasp, a sound like all the wind of a hurricane pulling themselves into a bottle.

Suddenly the clouds collapsed, almost instantaneously.

- Tear the skin apart.
- Throw the skin and run for it.

 

[Yokai]

>> Tear the skin apart <<
​

With the snake skin clasped between her two hands, and the silence of the once raging storm ahead, Aquila grit her teeth and tore the skin apart.

 

[ArcticFox]

The frail skin split in two. It was easy, like tearing dry paper. And then - nothing more happened. All was silent.

It seemed that Aquila caught the Air Serpent just as it was returning to its physical form. And now - it was simply gone. Everything was suddenly very quiet.

She could feel a new spring in her step as she moved on. Three Serpents were dead and one was trapped. Only three remained.

As she kept moving, the peaks of the mountain kept drawing her attention. There was a time when people of Baklands thought that the Horns of Ilklala would protect them from the Archmage. Who knew that Birdmen could fly so high and so far.

The ground dropped a little with each step. There were two possible ways to go. To her right, when facing south, she could see in the distance some kind of a broken down stone structure. And to her left she could see a small clearing covered in soft green grass, quite at odds with the yellowed grass and sand all around Aquila. She would need to hide from the scorching heat and both places could serve that purpose.

- Go to the crumbled structure.
- Go to the clearing.

 

[Yokai]

>> Go to the crumbled structure <<
​

"Three down, four to go." Aquila grimaced and pushed a strand of vermilion behind her ear. Everything would become much more difficult from this point onward. She didn't know the weaknesses of the four; even with the Sun Serpent trapped she didn't know how to destroy it. Currently the only lead that she had was to find the Temple of Throff and discover the weakness of the Earth Serpent. Which was why she headed toward the crumbling structure to her right. The clearing looked tempting and lush but right now Aquila needed to find a temple.

 

[ArcticFox]

It took her more time than she expected to reach the crumbled structure, as the desert wind picked up again and kept on shoving dust and sand into her eyes and its fingers dragged on her cloak, slowing her progress.

But, as she reached the stone building the wind stopped completely.

Now she could see more clearly what the structure was. A ruined building, standing on a stone plinth, its columns cracked and broken. The elaborate carvings on the pillars suggested that this was a temple once. Perhaps it belonged to Throff? But it was a hundred times more desolate than Theetah's tomb in Khare.

- Go inside.
- Explore around the temple.

 

[Yokai]

>> Explore around the temple <<
​

A soft noise of discomfort escaped the young woman's lips as she shielded her eyes and stared up at the dilapidated structure. Judging by some of the markings this may have once been a temple -- whether it belonged to Throff was another question but really how many temples could there be in the desert? Aquila's brow furrowed as she recalled the warnings of the Time Serpent laying down traps for her. For now she'd check the exterior of the temple and search for more clues, once she was satisfied she'd go inside.

 

[ArcticFox]

As she walked around the back of the structure she saw more broken pillars and masonry all scattered about. She also saw that the whole side of the temple was filled with holes the size of her fist and sun was illuminating the small inner chamber which looked to be empty.

In one corner of the "courtyard" she noticed a strange, almost rectangular impression in the dust.

- Approach the rectangular impression in the ground.
- Walk into the temple.

 

[Yokai]

>> Approach the rectangular impression in the ground <<​

Cerulean eyes narrowed at the strange impression in the earth, the sharp angles of a rectangle looked too artificial and purposeful to have occurred naturally. Aquila reasoned with herself that she should be more cautious -- that she should leave it be -- but that was met with the counter-argument that she needed to look around. Information was imperative right now and in the end curiosity won out. With that in mind she inched closer to the rectangular marking.

 

[ArcticFox]

Kneeling on the old stone, she brushed the dust away to reveal a trapdoor. The hinges squealed and cried, it was not opened in quite some time, but eventually it gave in - revealing a set of steps that led down into darkness and a disgusting smell.

And Aquila could hear something in there. Moving around...

- Close the trapdoor.
- Call out.
- Go in.

 

[Yokai]

>> Call out <<
​

Instantly Aquila recoiled at the scent and tucked her nose into the confines of her cloak. For a moment she squinted down into the darkness but her eyes were far too accustomed to the bright sunlight to see past the stairs. Something was moving around down there in the dark. Her first instinct was to close the trap door and leave. But that was swiftly overridden by the quiet voice in the back of her mind telling her that somebody -- or something -- might need her help.

"Hello?" Aquila called out instead. "Is someone down there? Do you need help?"

 

[ArcticFox]

There was no reply from below. Only a rattle of chains.

As she peered into the darkness underground she saw a pair of eyes staring back and ragged, rasping breathing.

- Close the trapdoor.
- Climb down.

 

[Yokai]

>> Climb down <<
​

A shiver passed down Aquila's spine; whatever was down there sounded desperate and chained up. The trapdoor sounded like it hadn't been opened for a long time though... how could something survive underground for so long? Her heart clenched and the idea that something needed her help was cemented in her mind. Slowly, as not to startle the creature, Aquila descended the stairs.

 

[ArcticFox]

As Aquila walked down the steps the stench was overpowering to the point that it made her eyes water. Her eyes eventually adjusted to the weak light and she saw a figure across from her - a skinny, half-naked man with long black beard. He was chained to the opposite wall in the chamber that looked like it was built into the foundations of the temple.

"I don't believe it!" He gasped. "A human! Oh, my eyes, a human!"

He raced toward Aquila, but was stopped short by a chain around his ankle.

- "Who are you?"
- "Who chained you?"
- Search the room.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> "Who chained you?" <<
​

Instinctively Aquila stepped backward when the man rushed forward, startled by the sudden movement. Her fingers flickered over to grasp the edge of her bow before she recognised that he wasn't a threat. Blue eyes trailed down to the man's ankle and followed the chain to the wall. "Who... somebody chained you down here!?" Aquila said, incredulous, the words slipping from her lips before she could censor them. "Who did this to you?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"Don't be scared. I'm just a priest. My name is Shalla." The man answered, staring at her with wild eyes. "It was Klattamen! They chained me!" He continued. "They ransacked the temple, took everything of value and left me here!"

A rat dashed across the floor of the chamber. The man snatched for it, tore it in half and started chewing. Seeing her stare, he offered a half of the dead rat.

- Break the chain with Rhain's long knife.
- Cast a spell.
- Leave.

 

[Yokai]

>> Break the chain with Rhain's long knife <<
​

"A priest of Throff?" Aquila asked hesitantly, shaking her head at the offer to share the rat. Despite the fact that he was visibly starving, desperate, and shackled, Shalla had offered to share his food. She couldn't pretend to judge the actions of others or begin to understand why he'd been chained here: but it was definitely cruel to leave him to his fate. Nobody deserved this.

"Hold on, let me see if I can set you free..." She murmured and withdrew Rhain's long knife. Either she'd have to break the chain or try to find a lock to use her magic on.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Yes, Throff. Much help that was." He answered, before finishing the rest of the rat.

The chain was rusted and frail. As soon as Aquila brought the weapon down on it, the chain shattered. The man leapt forward in gratitude, wrapping his arms around her in a bear hug.

"Thank you, stranger! It's wonderful to be free!"

He shouted and dashed up the steps into the sunlight. Glancing up, Aquila noticed the man's hand on the edge of the trapdoor. Was he about to lock her in?

- Shout to him.
- Cast a spell.
- Run up the stairs.