Under A Darksun Part II New Allies

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 147
“THE FINAL GAMES PT VI”

Andropinis has taken refuge to think within his personal chambers. He knew the Order was going to attack but not like this. He has a chose to make. The power of the creature is absorbing all magic, especially defiler magic.

To stop it will require him to expose his true appearance. The appearance of a tall reptilian creature. But otherwise the city will be destroyed. With no city, there will be no levy. With no levy, the dragon will take his anger out on him or Rajaat may become free. What choice does he have?

Mania runs at a wobbling column and leaps onto it. It wobbles. The mul at first thinks he is insane then sees the wisdom. “Allow me. I have the greater weight” and charges. The column is struck again and it begins to waver.

“Here we go!” yells Mania with a smile of satisfaction. The tall column falls and crashes into the wall. A ramp of rough rock has been created. “Hurry up!”

Mania works his way up the rock quickly. The mul gives chase but finds the slope difficult to climb. It’s great weight and bulk now work against the mul.

“Don’t give up. Climb!” shouts Mania.

Two guards try to work their way through the crowds towards the escaping gladiators. “Awe give me a break! The city is in danger and being torn apart and what do you do? You stop a little ol’ me and this mul from getting away from the very danger threatening the city.”

More guards arrive.

“You better hurry up- we have company up here.” And thus mania turns to face the first charge. He easily strips the guard of his weapon and throws him into the arena. The mul watches his body go by and snarls in frustration.

Suddenly a shadow falls over mania, the guards and the mul. A tall reptilian gaunt creature leaps from no where into the arena. The blob below seems to redirect its growth towards the new creature.

Mania glares and frowns. He knows what it is. He was told the Sorcerer-kings were mutated by their magics. This is Andropinis of Balic. The king.

Using psionics and his own great strength, the dragon tears into the blob. It roars in pain as the blob attaches itself to him trying to feed leech like the arcane energies stored within him.

“Whether he succeeds or not- we need to get out of here!” Mania reaches with the polearm to the mul. Using the life-taking weapon as a tool to save lives they get out and escape the arena. “Where to?” asks the Mul.

“You’re asking me? Let’s try there.” Mania says as he points to the outer wall. Where there are fewer people rushing around.

Cosa sees Mania climb the stairs. A mul warrior seems to follow him. Cosa goes towards them.

Andropinis snarls at the blob. It has torn and burned deep wounds into his skin. He levitates to the sky. His long whip like tail is the last to pull free. Black bones appear in spots. He begins to concentrate on a powerful psionic power.

The Veiled Alliance are split in three. Some wish to flee, some attack the blob and others sense a grand opportunity to attack a weakened Andropinis.

“Now what?” asks the mul as he looks down over the edge. It is over 75 feet to the ground below. “Allow me.” Say Cosa and Allina as they arrive.

“Cosa!” Mania runs to her and gives her a great hug and rapid kisses.

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 148
“THE FINAL GAMES PT VII”

Using the powers of levitation, Allina sends the heroes to the ground.

“Comon!”

“I can not. I must stop this. I will stay to help Balic’s Champion defeat this blob. Good luck.” And Allina returns to the arena.

“If we hurry, we can escape through the gates by force.” Calls Mania as he begins to move to what he believes is the closest gate.

The gate is left abandoned. They leave it easily.

Far outside the city, smoke can be seen rising from the city. Andropinis’ “Champion” as he will be hailed later, is destroying the blob with the aid of other Psions and a few more reckless mages and templars. Cosa cries silently as she watches.

“What is it?” Mania asks.

“Belinda. She is in there still. Somewhere.”

“Then we will need to find her.”

“If you will have me, I would like to help you.”

“Belinda is unknown to you. Why would you risk so much?” asks Cosa.

Looking to mania, “Because someone else did the same for me.”

“What is your name?”

“I have always been known as M-313.”

“You like that? Wouldn’t you like another name?”

“And what would you call me?”

“To begin with- as friend. We’ll work on this.”

Several weeks go by and finally they learn she was seen being taken by the Sky Sprinters. Now they need to only find the secret location of these nomadic elves……

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 149
“The Fate of Belinda”

Though blindfolded, Belinda knows where she is going. She is going to Sky Top. Sky Top is the tribal meeting place for the Sky Sprinters tribe. It is hidden within the mountains of Mountains near South Ledopolus.

She can hear the shifts of the wind and the sound of their boots on the packed earth and stone. Soon she will be there and locked away by Garrisaun and his psionic elves.

“Something is wrong. The guards are not at their posts.” He says to his tribe members that traveled with him to Balic.

“Caution my lord.” Adds his chief advisor.

“This is MY home. I will go as I please.” And he leads them into the temple.

=Welcome Garrisaun. I like what you have done with your temple since the death of your father. =

“Where are you Javidius?” The elf leader now slows down. Cautious and ready for anything. “Where is your master?”

= OUR master. He has bigger plans that will succeed. =

“You speak as if Balic’s demise did not occur.”

= You failed. You failed the Order and you failed our master. =

“Show yourself!”


Out of the darkness the attack occurs. It lasts 30 seconds at most. All are slain except for Belinda. She has tried to tear the blindfold off but a powerful psionic suggestion has blocked every attempt to do so. The AVERSION is too great to overcome.

“Who are you? What would you have of me or for me to do?” She asks the darkness and silence.

= play. Play with me =

The aversion is lifted and she peels the blindfold off and stops in horror. “Jav…Javidius …. You are a …a…”

= yes. Yes I am Play now. =

She turns to run. The game begins.

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 150
“112”

Mania, Cosa and the new ally, a mul fighter wander within the tent city near Balic looking for a ride. In the past three days, they have learned roughly where the Sky Sprinters operate the most. The next stop is South Ledopolus.

Allina has given the three money and supplies to survive by. Cosa is very angry since thus far the three pages of the Veena’s Journal she had found and in part translated, are missing. Perhaps there is something to the legend of the journal. The legend suggested the pages were cursed to never be gathered in one volume ever again. This may be further proof to the legend. Mania lost his enchanted clubs and other goods. Their greatest lost was their friend Belinda whom was taken by the elven tribe known as the Sky Sprinters. They are determined to locate her and if required- avenge her.

Joining the two is the mul known as 112. He has it tattooed to his forearm which he tries to keep covered at all times. He is not proud that he was breed to be a slave and wishes to forget the past.

Allina will help them as she can. She can not over do the aid, as it will draw attention to her and the escaped slaves. Templar trouble is never good but Sirus would kill her for helping Cosa to escape.

They have been forced to remain outside of the city of Balic due to their escaped slave status and since the templars are cracking down on security. If left unchecked, the power unleashed under the arena may have erased magic use from the entire city for centuries. Though it is not publicly known, Andropinis and his best psions and defilers are studying the remains of the anti-magic glob to determine its possible true strength. It could be useful as a weapon against the giants or other cities.

On the ninth day, they locate transportation. Once more, they will be caravan guards. They earn some money, some protection and food and water to South Ledopolus. They are working for House Inika located in Gulg. There will be few other guards since the caravan is designed for speed and if required- stealth.

It leaves at daybreak.

Not wanting to avoid it any longer, mania and Cosa ask 112 about himself over several pieces of spiced Ztal and water with a hint of silt fruit (Mild strawberry in flavor).

“I had figured you wanted to know more. It is wise to know more about your traveling companions.” The mul sits down on the silt and sand covered ground. “I was breed for labor. My father, Jurkah, was a dwarf from Nibenay. My mother, Jerrica, was a bought slave from Raam. Forced together, they produced me and one other. My brother 119 caused to much damage during birth. Our mother died before he ever took a breath.”

Mania is not happy by this. The treatment of slaves is truly beginning to bother him. Forced breeding was a new low to him. Especially since it well known the human mother rarely lived long after birth. Cosa listened with a mix of sorrow and pity. Though not as moved as Mania, the treatment of slaves like 112 and others was not right to her. It never will be.

“I was brought to Balic at the age of six to train with the Giant squad. These dwarves, muls and humans specialized in combat versus giants that often preyed on Balic’s weak farming fields. I did poorly there but was brought to the arena instead. Here I began as a weapon cleaner then I learned to repair and make many of the weapons we use. I knew it was only a matter of time before I was forced to use the weapons I helped to create to defend myself within the arena. I proved better at defending myself than harming others. It was a strange way of the warrior but it worked for me. I made it to the final three and escaped death and the arena completely.” 112 gives a timid smile at his admitted success.

Cosa gives a few minutes about herself. She speaks of her days with the Nibenay Alliance and even touches on the journal pages she seeks. These interest the thoughtful mul. Mania is more vague about the details of his life. After all, he truly is uncertain of anything in his life. He ages slower, is faster, stronger and more intelligent than most humans. He thinks his father is an evil man that may seek harm to him if he ever exposed. Until he decides what to do, he merely plans on traveling with Cosa and learn more about Tyr Valley and its people and rich history.

Feeling secure that they know more about each other’s life and motivations, the three sleep peacefully and begin their new jobs in the morning.

 

[megamania]

To begin this again I'm going to stick to my own conversion. Winter is here- time to write again about Darksun and the chosen one.

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 151
“Born From The Shadow”

Keela hated the pampering.

She hated the child within her.

She hated her husband.

She hated Nibenay.

She hated.

She still was recovering from the shock of learning her king and husband was a monstrous creature. Once she overcame this shock she became withdrawn. Her family feared for and the loss of status if she did anything too radical. They loved their child but she was the sole means of survival for them. If she were to die, the family may become homeless and forced out of the city of Nibenay.

The truth is much worse.

Keela came to hate. She wanted the deaths of her king, husband and that bastard Mania. She wanted the death of the whore that took him away from her. However, they escaped her. Two months later, she discovered she was with child. Would it be like her or the father? Would it be human and beautiful or ugly and reptilian. Either way, it is an abomination.

This …creature growing in her belly would be powerful. This she knew. And like any tool, this creature ..this thing could be useful. It could lead to the destruction to the evil in her life.

The servants continued to wash her in her scented water. When done, she stepped out of the water. Her belly exposed and round, looked alien to her. The creature moved. There was a brief moment of joy then the hatred returned. It lived and soon would be born. She would teach it. She would teach the creature the laws of the city, the laws of her husband and show it the evil of the husband. She would teach it to hate as she does. It would destroy.

She smiled with the next turn of the creature. Soon.

 

[megamania]

UNDER A DARKSUN
SEGMENT 152
“ Getting to Gulg”

House Inika was one of the fastest moving caravans within Tyr Valley. They used only small and quick pack animals to cross the deserts. The trip to Ledopolus is uneventful. They pay the three travelers and quickly separate. They recognize the signs of a wanted person. They wish not to be caught up in any slavery problems or legalities.

The trip across the silt-way is paid for with the caravan money. From here they travel northwest. Soon, they will reach the mountains where Belinda has been taken. Sooner than Mania really wishes. They still have few weapons or tools for a rescue mission. Especially one involving psionic defenders. They need help and they can think of only two people that can help. One may not even be alive in Nibenay. The other, a druid in the forest between Gulg and Nibenay.

They reach the edges of Gulg lands. And that is where the next story begins.

 

[megamania]

Its been awhile for my Darksun Storyhour. I hope to get some momentum before the end of the month on this storyhour. There are SOOOOOO many subplots to use and finish up involving the heroes and even more in my mind to use.

Stay tuned for more of... Under a Darksun

 

[Greg Dickens]

Can't wait to read more.

 

[megamania]

bumping and looking for encouragement....