The new and improved, Chapter 3!
Myrriak sat in the dirt, his hands moving to dust his pants off as he turned to look for the Priestmaster. The translucent blue glow was fading, allowing Myrriak and Kitae to see once again. The joy of thinking of the Priestmaster outshadowed his momentary fear of death, but his joy was stunted almost immediately.
Behind him stood two men; the first was a thin, tall man with silvery-white hair, not very unlike his now-slain foe, and it stood up in a series of thin spike. His eyes and outfit opposed his hair completely; his eyes were an extremely dark brown, almost black shade, while his outfit was as dark as the the shadows of a cavern. The only exception to his dark, baggy look was his scarf, a blood-red accessory draped around his neck and down his back.
The man standing next to him was not quite as tall, but nearly so. His hair was golden-brown, somewhat long, and draped down over his forehead. His eyes were dark red, offset by his bright hair. He wore a sleevless top, which was blue with a white "T" shape from the arms to and down the mid-divide. The top was cut a little short, exposing a very small amount of his stomach. His pants were a matching blue color, and white flames decorated the left pantleg. Like his partner, he wore black leather sandals. Around his wrists were black wristbands, which had blue, oval armguards attached, extending halfway down his arms.
Myrriak could instantly tell they were foreign, by the shape of their faces; their eyes were wider, and their cheeks jutted out a bit more; subtle differences, but able to be noticed if one looked hard enough.
"W-who.." Myrriak began to ask, but couldn't speak clearly from the shock of not seeing the Priestmaster, and surrending to the fact that he might be dead.
"Huh. He gloated a lot, but he really wasn't much of anything, in the end. You kids okay?" The blonde-haired man asked.
"Y-yeah, we're okay." Kitae managed to reply, after several seconds of silence.
"Who are you guys?"
"Just a couple of travelers. Thought we'd check in on the shrine, pay our respects."
"Where are you from?" Kitae asked, her voice filled with curiousity.
"Now's not the time, Kitae. We have to-"
"Now, now. Is that any way to speak to a lady, kid?" The blonde interrupted. It seemed as if his partner didn't speak much, if at all. Myrriak wondered if he was perhaps a mute.
"Wha-.. er, I mean.." Myrriak struggled with his words, and blushed hotly at being embarrassed by this newcomer.
"Anyway. Is there any chance that my friend and I could see the Priestmaster of this temple?"
"We don't even know-"
"Of course!" Kitae interrupted Myrriak with a cheerful voice, adding to Myrriak's humiliation.
"Great. Clive, stay here, with this guy. I'll be back shortly."
"Who says I'm-"
"Come on, then." Kitae said with a smile. The presence of the two men had completely dissolved the remnants of the dire situation just previously.
The man walked up to Kitae, bowed, and introduced himself while doing so.
"I am Jaernyx, a swordsman from the western continent of-"
"Hurry. We have no time." He was cut short by the concise, slicing words of Clive.
"Eh, yeah yeah. At least let me perform the small niceties for these folks. We've already intruded enough."
"Just get it done."
"Okay, okay. Such a slave-driver." Jaernyx complained. He offered Kitae his hand, causing her to giggle and blush slightly, and she took it. A fury burst in Myrriak's stomach, an intense, burning hatred for him. He stepped forward, his teeth gritted. Clive's hand came down firmly on his shoulder, holding him back. Myrriak turned slightly, looking up at him.
"Don't worry. He's nothing, and we're leaving soon." Myrriak was surprised the his feelings were so easily read, until he realized that his face had a look of pure hatred and torment upon it.
Kitae lead Jaernyx up the steps, and into the large doors of the shrine.
Myrriak was leaned back against the left statue affront the shrine once again, waiting patiently. He thought it was rather stupid he had to wait outside, when there was simply no reason. But he thought it best not to anger this Clive person. The wait seemed to last forever..
~~~
Saxerei spun around in the water slowly.
"You really want to join me?"
"Of course. Anything must be better than this. And besides, I can tell you're someone special. I wanna be there to see what happens in your moments of glory, y'know?" Her reply caused Saxerei to laugh loudly.
"So, you just wanna leech off of me, huh?"
"No-no, it's not like that!"
"Don't worry, I'm kidding." He said, laughing again. "Sure, you can accompany me. But I must have a name by which to call you."
"Call me Janeen, then."
"Alright then, Janeen, the water spirit. We need to decide where to go, first." Saxerei relaxed into the lake once again, thinking deeply. His mind wandered about as he attempted to develop a plan for raising his army.
"Well, I hear there's a town near here with some troubles. They have a new village chieftain, whose apparently really bad. He's very militant and overbearing on the town, and they'd be rather grateful if you saved them. Or, maybe we should visit the mines near here, and try to dig up some earthly spirits to help us. If nothing else, we can visit a town and ask around, right?"
"I agree with your first two ideas, but that last one, I'm not sure. If we just started asking around, it might attract unwanted attention. Even though I've lost my army, my name is famous. If I'm found trying to recreate my army, I may become a prime target of some of the more fearful powers."
"Hm... what do you want to do, Sir Saxerei?" The water spirit swam circles around him slowly while speaking, trying to stay occupied.
"Tell me more about those mines."
"The mines near here? They're not that far, actually. We'd go through the forest right over there," she paused momentarily to motion towards the forest across the lake, "and come out the western side. It'd take about two days of travel that way, but it's the fastest way there. When we come out of the forest, it'll take a few hours to walk from there." Saxerei thought momentarily after her explanation.
"Do you think any of the spirits there will help us, though?"
"Maybe. The mine's been devoid of humans for quite some time, so they might not have the enmity towards you that most earthen spirits have."
"Well, then. Let's go to the mines." Saxerei said firmly. She nodded, and her body melted back into the lake. Saxerei was lifted into the air on a raised platform of water, and carried over to the lake's edge to retrieve his things. Saxerei packed his armor into his pack, along with his other supplies, and stepped back onto Janeen's platform. She then carried him to the side of the lake nearest the forest, and allowed him off before following him onto the ground.
She first formed into the blue, translucent body she'd made before. Around her "body" formed a thin, long blue robe, tied at the waist with a decorative band. Her feet were covered with thick traveler's sandals, and her hair, a soft bluish tint, was tied back near her head, with a red tie. Her body shook just slightly, and she stepped up beside Saxerei.
"Since it's highly likely we'll have to fight either monsters or people whose ideas conflict with ours, I need to ask. Do your powers extend far enough to give you fighting strength?"
"My, Lord Saxerei. You needn't ask that, I am a spirit. Of course I can defend myself."
"Good. I don't want anyone trying to hurt you."
"Mortal weapons don't affect me; I'm made of water, sir." She said, and they both chuckled. Sax took a step forward, but abruptly stopped when Janeen took his hand in her own and stepped behind him. She bumped into him, having not expected him to stop.
Saxerei said nothing for a moment, their breathing the only audible sound. "I think.. let's check out the nearest town. Perhaps we can find some wayward mercenaries or a willing militia." He said. Janeen cocked her head to the side, then noticed his cheek being a slight crimson shade. She giggled, and walked forward, dragging him along.
In the city of Aiduboun, standing alit in the midst of several dark mountain paths, music and festivities could be heard echoing through the treacherous pathways leading to it. The town was made predominantly of migrants from a nearby continent. They learned the language of the natives, and left with the peaceful ones to create a paradise, far from the ravenous, war-torn lands elsewhere on the contintent. Over time, though, they began to revert back to their basic instincts. They became a tribe of hunters, refining their ways of hunting, and developed their own culture; a fusion of elegance, basic instinct, and honor. One among them..
Behind him stood two men; the first was a thin, tall man with silvery-white hair, not very unlike his now-slain foe, and it stood up in a series of thin spike. His eyes and outfit opposed his hair completely; his eyes were an extremely dark brown, almost black shade, while his outfit was as dark as the the shadows of a cavern. The only exception to his dark, baggy look was his scarf, a blood-red accessory draped around his neck and down his back.
The man standing next to him was not quite as tall, but nearly so. His hair was golden-brown, somewhat long, and draped down over his forehead. His eyes were dark red, offset by his bright hair. He wore a sleevless top, which was blue with a white "T" shape from the arms to and down the mid-divide. The top was cut a little short, exposing a very small amount of his stomach. His pants were a matching blue color, and white flames decorated the left pantleg. Like his partner, he wore black leather sandals. Around his wrists were black wristbands, which had blue, oval armguards attached, extending halfway down his arms.
Myrriak could instantly tell they were foreign, by the shape of their faces; their eyes were wider, and their cheeks jutted out a bit more; subtle differences, but able to be noticed if one looked hard enough.
"W-who.." Myrriak began to ask, but couldn't speak clearly from the shock of not seeing the Priestmaster, and surrending to the fact that he might be dead.
"Huh. He gloated a lot, but he really wasn't much of anything, in the end. You kids okay?" The blonde-haired man asked.
"Y-yeah, we're okay." Kitae managed to reply, after several seconds of silence.
"Who are you guys?"
"Just a couple of travelers. Thought we'd check in on the shrine, pay our respects."
"Where are you from?" Kitae asked, her voice filled with curiousity.
"Now's not the time, Kitae. We have to-"
"Now, now. Is that any way to speak to a lady, kid?" The blonde interrupted. It seemed as if his partner didn't speak much, if at all. Myrriak wondered if he was perhaps a mute.
"Wha-.. er, I mean.." Myrriak struggled with his words, and blushed hotly at being embarrassed by this newcomer.
"Anyway. Is there any chance that my friend and I could see the Priestmaster of this temple?"
"We don't even know-"
"Of course!" Kitae interrupted Myrriak with a cheerful voice, adding to Myrriak's humiliation.
"Great. Clive, stay here, with this guy. I'll be back shortly."
"Who says I'm-"
"Come on, then." Kitae said with a smile. The presence of the two men had completely dissolved the remnants of the dire situation just previously.
The man walked up to Kitae, bowed, and introduced himself while doing so.
"I am Jaernyx, a swordsman from the western continent of-"
"Hurry. We have no time." He was cut short by the concise, slicing words of Clive.
"Eh, yeah yeah. At least let me perform the small niceties for these folks. We've already intruded enough."
"Just get it done."
"Okay, okay. Such a slave-driver." Jaernyx complained. He offered Kitae his hand, causing her to giggle and blush slightly, and she took it. A fury burst in Myrriak's stomach, an intense, burning hatred for him. He stepped forward, his teeth gritted. Clive's hand came down firmly on his shoulder, holding him back. Myrriak turned slightly, looking up at him.
"Don't worry. He's nothing, and we're leaving soon." Myrriak was surprised the his feelings were so easily read, until he realized that his face had a look of pure hatred and torment upon it.
Kitae lead Jaernyx up the steps, and into the large doors of the shrine.
Myrriak was leaned back against the left statue affront the shrine once again, waiting patiently. He thought it was rather stupid he had to wait outside, when there was simply no reason. But he thought it best not to anger this Clive person. The wait seemed to last forever..
~~~
Saxerei spun around in the water slowly.
"You really want to join me?"
"Of course. Anything must be better than this. And besides, I can tell you're someone special. I wanna be there to see what happens in your moments of glory, y'know?" Her reply caused Saxerei to laugh loudly.
"So, you just wanna leech off of me, huh?"
"No-no, it's not like that!"
"Don't worry, I'm kidding." He said, laughing again. "Sure, you can accompany me. But I must have a name by which to call you."
"Call me Janeen, then."
"Alright then, Janeen, the water spirit. We need to decide where to go, first." Saxerei relaxed into the lake once again, thinking deeply. His mind wandered about as he attempted to develop a plan for raising his army.
"Well, I hear there's a town near here with some troubles. They have a new village chieftain, whose apparently really bad. He's very militant and overbearing on the town, and they'd be rather grateful if you saved them. Or, maybe we should visit the mines near here, and try to dig up some earthly spirits to help us. If nothing else, we can visit a town and ask around, right?"
"I agree with your first two ideas, but that last one, I'm not sure. If we just started asking around, it might attract unwanted attention. Even though I've lost my army, my name is famous. If I'm found trying to recreate my army, I may become a prime target of some of the more fearful powers."
"Hm... what do you want to do, Sir Saxerei?" The water spirit swam circles around him slowly while speaking, trying to stay occupied.
"Tell me more about those mines."
"The mines near here? They're not that far, actually. We'd go through the forest right over there," she paused momentarily to motion towards the forest across the lake, "and come out the western side. It'd take about two days of travel that way, but it's the fastest way there. When we come out of the forest, it'll take a few hours to walk from there." Saxerei thought momentarily after her explanation.
"Do you think any of the spirits there will help us, though?"
"Maybe. The mine's been devoid of humans for quite some time, so they might not have the enmity towards you that most earthen spirits have."
"Well, then. Let's go to the mines." Saxerei said firmly. She nodded, and her body melted back into the lake. Saxerei was lifted into the air on a raised platform of water, and carried over to the lake's edge to retrieve his things. Saxerei packed his armor into his pack, along with his other supplies, and stepped back onto Janeen's platform. She then carried him to the side of the lake nearest the forest, and allowed him off before following him onto the ground.
She first formed into the blue, translucent body she'd made before. Around her "body" formed a thin, long blue robe, tied at the waist with a decorative band. Her feet were covered with thick traveler's sandals, and her hair, a soft bluish tint, was tied back near her head, with a red tie. Her body shook just slightly, and she stepped up beside Saxerei.
"Since it's highly likely we'll have to fight either monsters or people whose ideas conflict with ours, I need to ask. Do your powers extend far enough to give you fighting strength?"
"My, Lord Saxerei. You needn't ask that, I am a spirit. Of course I can defend myself."
"Good. I don't want anyone trying to hurt you."
"Mortal weapons don't affect me; I'm made of water, sir." She said, and they both chuckled. Sax took a step forward, but abruptly stopped when Janeen took his hand in her own and stepped behind him. She bumped into him, having not expected him to stop.
Saxerei said nothing for a moment, their breathing the only audible sound. "I think.. let's check out the nearest town. Perhaps we can find some wayward mercenaries or a willing militia." He said. Janeen cocked her head to the side, then noticed his cheek being a slight crimson shade. She giggled, and walked forward, dragging him along.
In the city of Aiduboun, standing alit in the midst of several dark mountain paths, music and festivities could be heard echoing through the treacherous pathways leading to it. The town was made predominantly of migrants from a nearby continent. They learned the language of the natives, and left with the peaceful ones to create a paradise, far from the ravenous, war-torn lands elsewhere on the contintent. Over time, though, they began to revert back to their basic instincts. They became a tribe of hunters, refining their ways of hunting, and developed their own culture; a fusion of elegance, basic instinct, and honor. One among them..