The Last of the Ancients
The small, sickly and slightly emaciated gray fox stumbles over a root and curses the dark and thickly overgrown forest once again. Clutching the large black leather bound book that he carries closer to his chest he awkwardly gets back to his feet. "I'll show them" he mutters darkly to himself as he continues his journey along the forest path, barely more than a game trail. Images of his late father's crumpled body flash through the little fox's head, the ever-growing pool of blood, his father's shadowy rivals roughly looting his father's workshop. The young gray fox trembles in deep bitterness and hatred at the recent memory, his lust for revenge clouding all other emotions.
Some time later the fox kneels in a dark and sinister clearing deep within the ancient woods. The circular clearing almost throbs with a dark and forbidding energy, ancient megalithic standing stones encircle the clearing, the deeply weathered and unspeakable demonic images carved into them eons ago seemingly keeping out the forest, as if the trees themselves fear to touch anything within this evil place.
The young fox's pack lies open and empty the terrible ritual objects that once were within carefully placed in the appropriate places within the tainted scar that is the clearing. Opening the black book made from the tanned flesh of his ancestors the gray fox lays it down at the premarked page. Carefully double-checking that the book is opened to the right page he clears his mind and starts to chant loudly in a dark and guttural language.
The vile energies of the clearing seem to grow stronger and darker with the fox's words. The throbbing intensifies and seems to be beating against a now visible barrier of soft light in the center of the clearing, gradually weakening it with each throb. When the barrier of soft light seems to be almost ready to give the little fox suddenly screams out words so dark and vile that they make the leaves on the trees nearest the clearing wither. Opening his eyes and thrusting his hand violently to the weakened barrier of light in some sort of dark ritual climax a bolt of dark blood red energy leaps from the fox's outstretched finger and strikes the light shattering it into a million fading motes of light.
Breathing hard the exhausted but satisfied fox carefully examines where the soft light once was. The fox smiles uncertainly, something has appeared but not what he was expecting. His brow knits in confusion as he tries to make sense of the small, cute but unmoving bear-like creature that now lies in the center of the summoning circle. 'Is he alive' he wonders to himself, for while the tiny bear creature is naked and has no genitalia at all, just smooth light brownish red fur that can't possibly hide anything, he is male somehow, of this there is no doubt.
Putting his doubts behind him the gray fox grins and makes sure he is safely outside the circle of protection as the cute bears tiny paw twitches and flexes. The tiny bear's eyes suddenly snap open and he draws in a deep raspy breath. The fox sighs as his doubts vanish for the bear's eyes are a deep pupiless glowing red. Blinking away the dust of ages the bear things eyes dart around the clearing until they rest upon the smirking fox.
Leaping to his tiny little feet in one swift move the bear studies the fox curiously, after a few seconds he starts to tap his cute foot impatiently. The gray fox snaps out of his momentary fascination with the strange being he just summoned and starts to intone the prescribed words. "Timmor'ark I demand the mark of three..." the fox starts to say but is quickly shushed by the bear. "No need to continue I understand your language now" the little bear says as he walks around the inside of the circle of protection, examining it closely. After completing his examination the bear looks up at the irritated fox in mild admiration "very well done kid, this would have had Timmor'ark locked up nice and tight... or even any demon to tell you the truth" the bear says nodding to himself. "Fortunately for me but unfortunately for you I am neither Timmor'ark or a demon" the bear says as he causally steps out of the circle to stands in front of the shocked fox.
Sticking out his cute paw to the stunned fox the bear smiles "I am Cham 'Nee...", but before Cham can finish his greeting the desperate fox springs into action and unleashes a dark eldrich bolt that dissipates harmlessly against Cham. Sighing in irritation Cham opens his other paw and almost quicker than the fox's eyes can follow throws a small glob of green slime into the fox's open muzzle, the poor fox snaps his muzzle shut and swallows reflexively. Almost immediately the fox's eyes bulge and he falls over paralyzed.
Cham walks over to the now immobile fox's head and looks down, "sorry I had to take you down like that chap, that spell also would've worked well on a demon, but I was telling the truth when I said I wasn't one and I had to take care of you before you figured out something that might actually effect me". As he paces around the now twitching fox who is having unimaginable things done to him by whatever the green goo was, Cham taps his chin in thought. "You know my fine fellow I meant to thank you for following my instructions so carefully and freeing me... I don't mean to gloat but there was once a demon named Timmor'ark, but I destroyed him shortly before they..." he glowers slightly at the unpleasant memory of whoever 'they' are "imprisoned me once again in that horrible void". Cham looks down at the fox with affection "don't feel bad, it was a all a trap and you truly are quite skilled and talented". Continuing his pacing "yes you will make a quite powerful servant... and you should be proud you will be my first minister in this new age".
Cham stops again and smiles in true warmth down to his new servant "and I promise you will get your much desired revenge on those who killed your father and insulted your family... but for now sleep my beautiful fox, when you awake next you will have more power than even your clever mind has ever conceived".
As the fox's eyes close in peaceful slumber Cham turns to the gateway he recently passed through and frowns in worry and fear. Soon Ohoem will awake as well and follow him into this new age, walking over to the demonic book Cham picks it up and flips to another page. Chanting in the same language the fox just recently used, Cham closes the gateway into his prison this time with dark magic, the only kind he knows or understands. His worry and fear are not lessened though, darkness never stops her, it's only a matter of time before she awakes and breaks through, but hopefully this will buy him some precious time.
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This is a very rough first draft, if I get into this enough I will get it edited properly, and yes Zellie I hope to make these the new adventures of Cham and Ohoem. They were actually my favorites as well ;)