Fantasy Sorcery!!! (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

She laid on the ground to forget her troubles. However, the exhaustion overtook her quickly and what supposed to be a little rest, turned into a full night's sleep. Her dreams were restless, filled with visions.

She sees herself, outside her body, reaching forward to touch a blue crystal. For a moment bright light shines out to the sky, beautiful and warm. And her body crumples to dust where she stands.

A mechanical winch the size of the moon is turning, raising an old bucket from the chasm in the ground. It reaches the top and a thousand snakes begin to pour out, covering her body and crawling into her boots and tunic.

Through it all she sees Analand burning in bright white flames. It's what will happen, should her quest fail.

The sun of the new day rose from the waters of the lake. The island she was on was once covered in a thick forest, but now all the trees were dead. Black, gloomy clouds, rolled over the sky, coming from the east.

But, she noticed now something that she hadn't seen before. A small fishing boat, wedged among the trees. It looked to be seaworthy.

- Take the boat and go to the next island.
- Take the boat and cross the Lake.
- Go into the water to bait the Serpent.

 

[Yokai]

>> Take the boat and go to the next island <<
​

Explanation weighed heavy on Aquila's mind as she tried to decipher the visions and dreams she'd experienced. Whatever it meant she was left with a bone-deep foreboding that chilled her to the core. The burden on her shoulders grew heavier with each passing day. Standing up the red-head dusted herself off and readjusted her pack, ready to continue onward to the next island. The Water Serpent was a foe that she was not yet ready to meet and she lacked the neccessary oil to ease her battle. For now she would look elsewhere.

 

[ArcticFox]

She pushed the boat out into the shallows and then rowed it through the deep water. The water was strangely thick and every stroke was hard. The wind picked up, rocking the boat. But, the next island also wasn't that far.

Aquila rowed the boat onward through water. The midday heat filled the air around her as the boat glided ahead. The motion was calm and relaxing, but it also seemed like her progress was very slow. The sunlight on the water was all but blinding.

Finally, as the sun reached its highest point, Aquila pulled the boat out onto the shore of another island. This one was covered in dense trees that were thankfully still living, otherwise her skin would have blistered on the heat. There was another stone tower on this island, similar to the one where she found the Sergeantmaster, only without a bell. She could see the clockwork mechanism on its western side. But, this island is larger than it seemed at first.

- Use the compass.
- Wander through trees.
- Return to the boat.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Use the compass <<
​

Standing beneath the sheltered branches of a tree Aquila retrieved the compass from her pack. She'd like to venture further inland toward the tower but the density of the trees could prove to be a problem. Perhaps the compass could help there?

 

[ArcticFox]

the path wound along the shoreline, then ducks underneath the canopy of treetops and Aquila was immediately surrounded by screeches and callings of strange creatures. It was a miniature jungle. Yet, with a compass in hand, she was able to find a way through the maze of trees in some ten minutes, which is at least three times less than it would have taken her if she had to wander on her own.

Following a narrow track through the trees she came in sight of a base of the tower, heavily overgrown now. Gnarled roots and branches had forced the doors of the tower open and they now laid ajar. She could not see much through the opening, but felt a dank smell, old mould and mud, like the tower had been flooded and then emptied numerous times. The walls were covered in some sort of carvings all the way to the ceiling where she could see a closed trapdoor with a set of curving stone stairs leading up to it.

On the far side of the room she now saw something light up in the darkness. A flame?

- Look at the flame.
- Approach the flame.
- Call out.
- Turn back.

 

[Yokai]

>> Call out <<
​

Aquila squinted out into the darkness as the flame appeared, attempting to see the owner of the light. This place had looked abandoned from the outside and she'd assumed it would be empty inside. Perhaps she was wrong? There was only one way to make absolutely sure.

"Hello?" Aquila called out, trying to keep the nervous tremor out of her voice. "Is somebody there?"

 

[ArcticFox]

There was no answer, but as she peered through the doorway further, she could see that the flame hovered a bit above the ground. As she watched it swelled in size, from a match flame to a full fireball. It was clearly of magical nature and in its light Aquila could now see what was holding it.

It was a rough metal form shaped into a humanoid figure. A Grimalkin! Like those she had seen as an apprentice sorcerer - a magical construction which gathered magic the way a funnel gathered rainwater.

But, this one was not friendly. As she watched, a fireball, hot and fierce, shot out of the metal frame and at Aquila.

- Dodge.
- Duck.
- Run up the stairs.
- Run outside.

 

[Yokai]

>> Run up the stairs <<
​

Aquila's eyes widened with horror as the fire ball headed straight toward her. She ducked immediately and bolted for the stairs hoping to get past the creature. There was so much more of the tower that she wanted to see and this only proved there was more to this island than met the eye.

 

[ArcticFox]

The fireball flew past her, splashing at the base of the staircase, cinders reaching her ankles. The Grimalkin was already readying a second fireball. It was possible to go up the stairs, but she would have to be really fast.

As the second fireball now exploded in front of her Aquila rushed headfirst through the dispersing flames, feeling them nip on her coat. The contraption did not stop its attacks. The third fireball hit the wall beside Aquila, chips of stone flying into her face, scratching her cheeks.

But she was close now, she was just underneath the trapdoor as the fourth fireball was readied. There was no shelter on the staircase and if she stopped moving the Grimalkin would surely hit her. But, the hatch above her was bolted shut.

- Pry it open with a knife.
- Run down the stairs.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Cast a spell <<
​

Despite the heat that crawled up her neck Aquila still felt like a bucket of ice-cold water had been dumped over her head. Her attempted race for freedom suddenly cut short by a locked door. Seized with terror Aquila did the only thing she could think of doing in that situation and used an unlocking spell on the trapdoor. If this didn't work then she'd have to run for it.

 

[ArcticFox]

When the spell was cast the lock of the door creaked with age and rust. The hatch swung open. Another firewall whipped across the floor of the tower, boiling up the stairs, but Aquila had already squeezed through the trapdoor.

The upper room of the tower revealed to be some sort of workshop. Perhaps it once belonged to a sorcerer that made the Grimalkin, but now it was long abandoned. Some chests and drawers were still unopened though, so if there ever was a place to find oil, it would be there.

- Rummage through the workshop.
- Rest a moment first.
- Leave.

 

[Yokai]

>> Rummage through the workshop <<
​

Now safely inside the upper room Aquila took a moment to breathe, hands clasped over her knees as she shuddered. Out of the fire and into the frying pan had never been a more appropriate adage. Once she'd caught her breath the red-head finally took a good look around the room and was filled with genuine curiosity. Had the Grimalkin been made here?

Stepping away from the trapdoor she ventured further into the work shop and began to rummage around. Mainly she was looking for oil but if anything else came up Aquila wouldn't turn it down. This place was abandoned after all, right?

 

[ArcticFox]

It did not take long for her to find a small tin flask with liquid swishing inside of it. Upon further inspection it definitely wasn't water nor alcohol, it was thick and dark and smelled terrible. It was her flask of oil. Besides metal parts and various tools she didn't even know the names of, the only interesting thing she found in there was a small Brass Pendulum. It would be a neat conduit to performing a spell of sleep!

- Return to the beach and bait the Serpent in the shallows.
- Go into the boat and search for the Serpent.

 

[Yokai]

>> Return to the beach and bait the Serpent in the shallows <<
​

Armed with a flask of oil and a brass pendulum, Aquila decided to return to the beach she'd swept upon. It would be easier for her to bait the Water Serpent into attacking but also incredibly risky. However, searching in the boat would leave her exhausted and perhaps damage the very vessel that would bring her back to shore. She first had to get past the Grimalkin if she wanted to return to the shore.

 

[ArcticFox]

Evading the Grimalkin was not that difficult the second time. All Aquila had to do was run straight for the doorway and be faster that its fireballs. He got through the ordeal with only her cloak slightly singed.

She followed the compass back through the forest and up to the small shoreline where her boat was. The waters of the Lake were calm until she ventured into the shallows. As soon as she made a couple of steps, wading through the waters, she noticed a thin stream of bubbles forming into the deep water in front of her. The stream was slowly spreading out in a wider line in front of her and something was breaking through the surface.

- Look closer.
- Get back to shore.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Look closer <<
​

Aquila halted at the sight of the rising bubbles and the creature moving in the waters, waiting for it to properly break the surface. She steeled herself for a fight, prepared as she could possibly be for this. Hopefully it was the Water Serpent and not something else that lurked in the depths of Lake Ilklala.

 

[ArcticFox]

In the next moment, breaking through the surface was a long thin shape. It rose in a coil and then unfolded two dripping leathery wings. The last Serpent!

It was now free of the water and hovered above the surface, a massive shape against the midday sky. It stretched open its wide jaws.

- Draw your weapon.
- Throw the Sun Serpent Orb into its mouth.
- Throw the flask of oil into its mouth.
- Throw something else.
- Cast a spell.

 

[Yokai]

>> Throw the flask of oil into its mouth <<
​

Thankfully the creature appeared, no less horrifying than the six before it, as it ascended from the Lake. When the Water Serpent opened its gaping jaws Aquila saw the opportunity and took it. Fingers clasped around the flask of oil she'd recently found in the workshop and flung it forwards into the waiting mouth of the Serpent.

 

[ArcticFox]

The Serpent swallowed the flask, not expecting it. Aquila watch it take effect. In a coupe of seconds the large body of the Serpent trashed above the water, coiling and uncoiling as if it was in pain.

"Analander! What have you done!" It roared at her, anger in its eyes, as it rushed to strike. It was weakened, but it was not dead yet.

- Attack with Rhain's knife (Roll die, Difficulty 8, Bonus 3).
- Attack with your knife (Roll die, Difficulty 9, Bonus 3).
- Attack with the bow (Roll die, Difficulty 8, Bonus 4).

 

[Yokai]

>> Attack with the bow <<
​

Despite the Water Serpent being her enemy she couldn't help but feel guilty at the obvious pain it was in. Killing the servants of the Archmage was neccessary for her cause. But torture wasn't. As it lurched forward Aquila stumbled backward in the shallow waters, fingers fumbling for her bow which she drew from her back. Bringing it down she hitched an arrow and aimed it toward the advancing Serpent. Taking a deep breath to center herself she closed one eye and then let the arrow fly.

 

[ArcticFox]

Threading the water toward the Serpent Aquila aimed with her bow. Her arrow flew toward its large head, almost invisible against the sheer size of the beast. However its aim was true. The arrow embedded straight into the Water Serpent's eye.

The Serpent screeched in pain, falling into the water with a splash that sent a wave over Aquila, tripping her up and making her fall down. The Serpent's dead was gone when she looked up from the ground.

With six of them dead, Aquila only had the Orb with the trapped Sun Serpent to deal with. And from her spot she could easily take the boat south to the pass toward High Xamen road.

- Toss the Orb in the Lake.
- Keep the Orb with you.

 

[Yokai]

>> Toss the Orb in the Lake <<
​

"It's over," Aquila breathed, voice trembling under the immensity of what she'd completed. Six of the Archmage's Serpents were dead, killed by her own hand and leaving only one. Fingers clasped tightly around the Orb as she stared down at the creature trapped within.

"You're the last one," She murmured, disbelief colouring her voice. And then she was pulling back her arm, aiming it through the air into the deeper parts of the Lake. There in the dark depths of the expansive Lake Ilklala she hoped it would never be found again.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes but she pushed them back, breathing out a shaky exhale. It was time to move on again. Silently Aquila trudged back to the boat and pushed it back out onto the water. There was much to do and she'd need to find somewhere to stay for the night, find rations for her journey, and perhaps work to build up some coin.

 

[ArcticFox]

With six of the Serpents definitely dead and one of them probably lost forever, Aquila was free to move toward the Fortress of Mampang. She was so close to her goal and she could feel the Crown's calling more than ever. She was on the point of no return. The only way she could go was forward and the moment of truth was closing in. Had she gotten strong enough to kill the Archmage?

From the island's shore she could see the south side of the Lake. Two statues stood on that side, a path between them marking the starting point of the High Xamen road. The Sorcerer statues were once magnificent, but were now covered with moss and crumbling. Everything west from Mampang was in a different stages of ruin.

- Take the boat to High Xamen Road.

 

[Yokai]

>> Take the boat to High Xamen Road <<
​

Blue eyes watched at the stone statues came into view, their imposing figures cut into the mountain pass signalling the beginning of the High Xamen road. Aquila heart lodged itself in her throat as she attempted to smother the butterflies in her stomach. Everything from this point onward would grow more difficult, she was almost at Mampang now. Almost to the Crown. Almost to the Archmage.

Was she strong enough for this? Aquila could only hope that this journey had shaped her into somebody worthy of being a hero. A hero for those who had suffered before she'd even stepped out her gate, for those who had died along the way protecting her, she prayed that she was good enough, strong enoughenough, for them. Nonetheless, Aquila had formed bonds that strengthened her and she also had Panther on her side. Whatever came next she was powerless to stop it and could only forward with the intention to overcome.

 

[ArcticFox]

Aquila had crossed the wastes of Kakhabad and dealt with all of the Serpents, not linger too long to be discovered. There was still a chance that the Archmage heard no news of her arrival. Perhaps she would be able to take him by surprise.

The High Xamen road was once grand. There were hints of gold leaf on the corners of the steps, carvings and holes for the lanterns in the pillars that lined the way. But all had long since fallen into disrepair. The only inhabitants left were Birdmen, cursed to the air, that shrieked like demons to each other.

The night grew dark and cold and in the meager moonlight Aquila was able to discern a shape in the distance. The Fortress! Tall spires and sharp angles made the building look like a rusted blade. One thing was certain - entering the Fortress will be the most perilous part of her journey.

- On to Mampang!