G
Guest
Guest
It could have been a scene from any Fairy Tale in a children's book except that the picturesque houses were burning and the quaint villiagers were running around screaming and calling for help.
Help that was not to be had for the last great hero of Pellath had gone to face the Evil That Had No Name and had lost. His broken body lay in the dungeon with the others and his spirit was trapped in a bottle to live eternity in agony.
It had taken years but the Evil One had won. He had conquered much of the land and, with no one to stop him, he would easily take the rest. He wasnt really trying now. He knew he could take it at his leasure and so his dark army was now taking their time...ransacking, raping and pillaging a village and carting off the survivors as slaves. They would take months now where it would have only taken days for them to move on. Indeed, after they left there would be nothing left to recover from the land. It would be a blackened, lifeless, barren wasteland. And then they would move on to the next.
Quaillan sighed and moved away from the crystal that was showing him the scene just described. As he moved from it, the crystal grew murky and dimmed, shutting out the aweful sights and sounds of suffering.
Going over to his high backed chair, he sat and placed his chin in his hand and pondered what he was to do. He was the last GrandMage. All of the others who could have opposed the Evil One were now dead or insane. Any mages left were simply apprentices without older and wiser men to show them the way. If this kept up his would would be plunged into an age of darkness that it would never recover from.
He had to do something and, what he was contemplating was a risky venture. If his world held no more heroes than he must magically send for them. It would take alot of energy and it would signal to the Evil One where he was. He would be pressed for time but he thought he could pull it off. He had to pull it off.
Standing, he made his way to the basement of his hideaway and approached a tarp covered object. Pulling the tarp away revealed a well filled with a murky substance. As he looked into it, his reflection warped and separated into many facets...like a kelidescope. The facets represented the many dimensions in the universe and his magic was going to have to search these dimensions in order to find those capable of fighting this great Evil. It was from one of these dimensions that those heroes were going to be pulled.
Around the well were items needed to cast his spell. He had been preparing this spell for many days now and all it needed was the last touch.
Pulling a spell book from his robes, he opened it and found the pae that he was seeking. With a deep breath, he begin the chanting...his voice building in strength and sound as he spoke. The first faint sylables now fading as the next echoed off the chamber walls.
And the water stirred and begin to swirl....a white light appearing in the middle of it and then shattering and zooming off into each facet....still the mage chanted and still his voice echoed around him...and somewhere....an evil stirred and took notice...and a chuckle issued from the darkness. For now he knew where his last enemy was hidden.
And somewhere in the present time and dimension, people were going about their daily life. Some noticed the flash of light that lit the sky and some did not. Some wondered what it could be and some did not care. But eight people were goign to find out what that flash of light was and their lives were never going to be the same again.
Somewhere in the world an actress stepped from her trailor, a smile on her lips for the public that surrounded the barricades of the movie set. And a young voice was heard from the crowd. "Miss Hyun! Can I have your autograph?! You are my hero!" And at that moment a bright light surrounded the actress and she had disappeared.
Somewhere in the world a Soccer Player is talking to a newspaper reporter who comments. "You know, Miss Schmidt, alot of the young people that have seen you play think you are an example of what women today can do. You are a hero to many of them." And before the astonished eyes of the reporter, a bright light envelopes the athlete and she is gone.
Somewhere in the world, a doctor has just saved a young man's life after hours in a touch and go situation. Emerging from the room, he talks to the parents and girlfriend of that young man and is pleased to tell them that it looked like he was going to be okay. Overcome with emotion, the mother throws herself into the doctor's arms sobbing and says,"Oh, thank you. I dont know about anyone else but you are a hero to me." And that same mother backs away with a strangled cry as the doctor is enveloped in a white light and disappears before the astonished trio.
Somewhere in the world, a firefighter is standing in front of a newscamera, his face smokey black and his body slumped from exahustion. The family that he had just saved from the burning building being taken to the ambulance. The family's saftey won by his quick thinking and willingness to risk his own life for theirs even when others had said the rescue was impossible. The TV News reporter talks into the microphone. "That was a tremendous rescue! You know that, to those people, you are a hero." And then the cameraman almost drops the camera as a white light envelopes the firefighter and he disappears.
Somewhere in the world, an activist sits in a police station talking to her lawyer. Her actions to save yet another endangered species landing her in jail. The lawyer sighs and says,"Jadiza, I understand that to many you are a hero in this matter but...." He never finishes his sentence for right then a white light envelopes her and she disappears before his very eyes.
Somewhere in the world, a computer technician retrieves a vital piece of information and is rewarded with a slap on the back and a,"Your a goddam hero, you know that?" from a friend. Seconds afterwards, a bright light envelops him and he dissappears.
Somewhere in the world, a rookie cop is being congratulated for a drug bust and a medal pinned on him as he stands before his superiors. "Well, kid, how does it feel to be a hero?" One of them says only to see him enveloped in a white light and disappear.
Somewhere in the world, a teacher is sitting in a classroom way past the time she should have gone home, patiently explaining a concept to one of her students. Suddenly the student brightens as the concept hits home and she smiles at her teacher. "Oh, yes! Now I get it! You know I just might be able to pass this course after all. Miss Winslow, I think you are my hero!" And suddenly the teacher is enveloped in a white light and disappears.
Later on the tabloids would report some of the mysterious disappearances. The newspapers and TV news would have brief stories on them but no one could explain exactly what happened. It was simply a puzzle that could not be worked out. Some would talk and blame UFOs and some would say the government did it...whatever theory they subscribed too, in the in no one knew for certain.
And somewhere in another dimension, these eight people appeared again one by one in a large room with a long table and an old man sitting at the head of it. There were eight chairs around the table and each was seated in one of them.
As the last one appeared, the old man spoke.
"I guess you are all wondering why you have been called here," He said.
Help that was not to be had for the last great hero of Pellath had gone to face the Evil That Had No Name and had lost. His broken body lay in the dungeon with the others and his spirit was trapped in a bottle to live eternity in agony.
It had taken years but the Evil One had won. He had conquered much of the land and, with no one to stop him, he would easily take the rest. He wasnt really trying now. He knew he could take it at his leasure and so his dark army was now taking their time...ransacking, raping and pillaging a village and carting off the survivors as slaves. They would take months now where it would have only taken days for them to move on. Indeed, after they left there would be nothing left to recover from the land. It would be a blackened, lifeless, barren wasteland. And then they would move on to the next.
Quaillan sighed and moved away from the crystal that was showing him the scene just described. As he moved from it, the crystal grew murky and dimmed, shutting out the aweful sights and sounds of suffering.
Going over to his high backed chair, he sat and placed his chin in his hand and pondered what he was to do. He was the last GrandMage. All of the others who could have opposed the Evil One were now dead or insane. Any mages left were simply apprentices without older and wiser men to show them the way. If this kept up his would would be plunged into an age of darkness that it would never recover from.
He had to do something and, what he was contemplating was a risky venture. If his world held no more heroes than he must magically send for them. It would take alot of energy and it would signal to the Evil One where he was. He would be pressed for time but he thought he could pull it off. He had to pull it off.
Standing, he made his way to the basement of his hideaway and approached a tarp covered object. Pulling the tarp away revealed a well filled with a murky substance. As he looked into it, his reflection warped and separated into many facets...like a kelidescope. The facets represented the many dimensions in the universe and his magic was going to have to search these dimensions in order to find those capable of fighting this great Evil. It was from one of these dimensions that those heroes were going to be pulled.
Around the well were items needed to cast his spell. He had been preparing this spell for many days now and all it needed was the last touch.
Pulling a spell book from his robes, he opened it and found the pae that he was seeking. With a deep breath, he begin the chanting...his voice building in strength and sound as he spoke. The first faint sylables now fading as the next echoed off the chamber walls.
And the water stirred and begin to swirl....a white light appearing in the middle of it and then shattering and zooming off into each facet....still the mage chanted and still his voice echoed around him...and somewhere....an evil stirred and took notice...and a chuckle issued from the darkness. For now he knew where his last enemy was hidden.
And somewhere in the present time and dimension, people were going about their daily life. Some noticed the flash of light that lit the sky and some did not. Some wondered what it could be and some did not care. But eight people were goign to find out what that flash of light was and their lives were never going to be the same again.
Somewhere in the world an actress stepped from her trailor, a smile on her lips for the public that surrounded the barricades of the movie set. And a young voice was heard from the crowd. "Miss Hyun! Can I have your autograph?! You are my hero!" And at that moment a bright light surrounded the actress and she had disappeared.
Somewhere in the world a Soccer Player is talking to a newspaper reporter who comments. "You know, Miss Schmidt, alot of the young people that have seen you play think you are an example of what women today can do. You are a hero to many of them." And before the astonished eyes of the reporter, a bright light envelopes the athlete and she is gone.
Somewhere in the world, a doctor has just saved a young man's life after hours in a touch and go situation. Emerging from the room, he talks to the parents and girlfriend of that young man and is pleased to tell them that it looked like he was going to be okay. Overcome with emotion, the mother throws herself into the doctor's arms sobbing and says,"Oh, thank you. I dont know about anyone else but you are a hero to me." And that same mother backs away with a strangled cry as the doctor is enveloped in a white light and disappears before the astonished trio.
Somewhere in the world, a firefighter is standing in front of a newscamera, his face smokey black and his body slumped from exahustion. The family that he had just saved from the burning building being taken to the ambulance. The family's saftey won by his quick thinking and willingness to risk his own life for theirs even when others had said the rescue was impossible. The TV News reporter talks into the microphone. "That was a tremendous rescue! You know that, to those people, you are a hero." And then the cameraman almost drops the camera as a white light envelopes the firefighter and he disappears.
Somewhere in the world, an activist sits in a police station talking to her lawyer. Her actions to save yet another endangered species landing her in jail. The lawyer sighs and says,"Jadiza, I understand that to many you are a hero in this matter but...." He never finishes his sentence for right then a white light envelopes her and she disappears before his very eyes.
Somewhere in the world, a computer technician retrieves a vital piece of information and is rewarded with a slap on the back and a,"Your a goddam hero, you know that?" from a friend. Seconds afterwards, a bright light envelops him and he dissappears.
Somewhere in the world, a rookie cop is being congratulated for a drug bust and a medal pinned on him as he stands before his superiors. "Well, kid, how does it feel to be a hero?" One of them says only to see him enveloped in a white light and disappear.
Somewhere in the world, a teacher is sitting in a classroom way past the time she should have gone home, patiently explaining a concept to one of her students. Suddenly the student brightens as the concept hits home and she smiles at her teacher. "Oh, yes! Now I get it! You know I just might be able to pass this course after all. Miss Winslow, I think you are my hero!" And suddenly the teacher is enveloped in a white light and disappears.
Later on the tabloids would report some of the mysterious disappearances. The newspapers and TV news would have brief stories on them but no one could explain exactly what happened. It was simply a puzzle that could not be worked out. Some would talk and blame UFOs and some would say the government did it...whatever theory they subscribed too, in the in no one knew for certain.
And somewhere in another dimension, these eight people appeared again one by one in a large room with a long table and an old man sitting at the head of it. There were eight chairs around the table and each was seated in one of them.
As the last one appeared, the old man spoke.
"I guess you are all wondering why you have been called here," He said.
