Star of Penumbra
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- May 28, 2002
- Posts
- 5,106
OOC: Before you join, check this thread.
IC:The traveler crested the hill, bringing into sight a humble shack. It rested several miles from the nearest town, Britannia.
Smiling to himself, the man quickened his pace slightly. It was growing late, and the sun would soon set. Despite the efforts of the traveler and his friends a few years ago, the uncivilized wilds of Sosaria remained dangerous, especially at night.
There was a light burning in the window, telling the man that the person he had come to see was in. He reached the door and knocked.
A moment later, the door cracked open, then swung to reveal a tall, dark haired man. “Friend Julius! What are you doing here?” He asked happily. His expression suddenly turned somber. “Is there trouble?”
“No, no, of course not, Michael.” Julius replied. “This is merely a social call.”
The man smiled again. “Ah, well, come in, come in. I have some tea on. Make yourself comfortable.”
The traveler seated himself on one of the stools and set his pack on the floor. “How have you been these past five years? Sosaria misses her hero.”
“I have been well. Mostly I’ve been studying philosophy.” Michael replied, seating himself and handing his friend a cup of tea.
“Why must you live so far from anyone? It makes coming to see you difficult. I have to be home in two more days, and I’ll be lucky to make it.”
The tall man shook his head, his dark hair swinging to and fro. “If I were to move to one of the eight cities, it would make me more inclined to favor the virtue it held in closest regard.” He paused to take a sip of his tea. “It would also allow my enemies to locate me more easily. As it is, only you and the others who traveled with me know of my present location. I suspect Lord British knows of my whereabouts as well, though I’ve never told him.”
Julius thought for a moment before responding. “If your-“
Before he could further express his thoughts, a great wall of green flame rose from the ground behind his companion. Both men jumped to their feet, Julius drawing the baroque battleaxe he carried on his belt.
Seconds later, demons began to stream through the fiery portal, quickly crowding the small hut. Michael ran to the wall and removed a sword from where it hung, turning to face the unexpected onslaught of unholy invaders, as Julius split open the skull of the nearest one with his axe.
“What is this sorcery!” Julius cried as demons continued to flood the tiny hut. A great blast of cold came from behind him in reply, freezing several of the demons in place. Julius backed up so that he stood next to his friend, taking his axe in both hands.
“Hold them!” Michael exclaimed, turning his attention to the portal itself. He plunged his hand into the pouch at his belt and drew forth a handful of reagents.
Julius took a step forward and decapitated another of the invading demons, while yet another bit at his legs. Suddenly, a great horned demon, larger than the rest, appeared from the portal of green flame. Before either of the men could react, he quickly traced an arcane pattern in the air in front of him. Julius recognized the spell as he felt his legs numbing, which quickly spread throughout his body. His axe dropped to the floor, and as he fell, he heard a thud next to him.
“Take the tall one. The other is unimportant.” He heard a voice say, then the scrabbling of many feet. A moment later, he heard something being dragged across the floor, then the demons, Michael with them, disappeared back through the flaming portal, which sunk back into the floor.
The numbness faded, and Julius pulled himself to his feet, wiping off his axe and placing it back on his belt. There was nothing more he could do here for his friend.
“I must alert Lord British.” Julius said aloud, trying to gather his thoughts. He glanced at his bleeding leg. He hadn’t thought to bring his reagents- a stupid mistake. Tearing a strip from his shirt, he bandaged the wound as best he could.
He picked up his pack and left the hut- time was of the essence. Lord British had to be alerted immediately, and every second the avatar was in the clutches of the demons increased the chances he would be killed.
Julius set out for Lord British’s castle, two hours to the south. It was a long walk, but he was no stranger to sacrifice; it had been his way of life ever since he was a child.
He glanced at the setting sun and the two rising moons as he walked. It appeared he wouldn’t be home on time after all.
IC:The traveler crested the hill, bringing into sight a humble shack. It rested several miles from the nearest town, Britannia.
Smiling to himself, the man quickened his pace slightly. It was growing late, and the sun would soon set. Despite the efforts of the traveler and his friends a few years ago, the uncivilized wilds of Sosaria remained dangerous, especially at night.
There was a light burning in the window, telling the man that the person he had come to see was in. He reached the door and knocked.
A moment later, the door cracked open, then swung to reveal a tall, dark haired man. “Friend Julius! What are you doing here?” He asked happily. His expression suddenly turned somber. “Is there trouble?”
“No, no, of course not, Michael.” Julius replied. “This is merely a social call.”
The man smiled again. “Ah, well, come in, come in. I have some tea on. Make yourself comfortable.”
The traveler seated himself on one of the stools and set his pack on the floor. “How have you been these past five years? Sosaria misses her hero.”
“I have been well. Mostly I’ve been studying philosophy.” Michael replied, seating himself and handing his friend a cup of tea.
“Why must you live so far from anyone? It makes coming to see you difficult. I have to be home in two more days, and I’ll be lucky to make it.”
The tall man shook his head, his dark hair swinging to and fro. “If I were to move to one of the eight cities, it would make me more inclined to favor the virtue it held in closest regard.” He paused to take a sip of his tea. “It would also allow my enemies to locate me more easily. As it is, only you and the others who traveled with me know of my present location. I suspect Lord British knows of my whereabouts as well, though I’ve never told him.”
Julius thought for a moment before responding. “If your-“
Before he could further express his thoughts, a great wall of green flame rose from the ground behind his companion. Both men jumped to their feet, Julius drawing the baroque battleaxe he carried on his belt.
Seconds later, demons began to stream through the fiery portal, quickly crowding the small hut. Michael ran to the wall and removed a sword from where it hung, turning to face the unexpected onslaught of unholy invaders, as Julius split open the skull of the nearest one with his axe.
“What is this sorcery!” Julius cried as demons continued to flood the tiny hut. A great blast of cold came from behind him in reply, freezing several of the demons in place. Julius backed up so that he stood next to his friend, taking his axe in both hands.
“Hold them!” Michael exclaimed, turning his attention to the portal itself. He plunged his hand into the pouch at his belt and drew forth a handful of reagents.
Julius took a step forward and decapitated another of the invading demons, while yet another bit at his legs. Suddenly, a great horned demon, larger than the rest, appeared from the portal of green flame. Before either of the men could react, he quickly traced an arcane pattern in the air in front of him. Julius recognized the spell as he felt his legs numbing, which quickly spread throughout his body. His axe dropped to the floor, and as he fell, he heard a thud next to him.
“Take the tall one. The other is unimportant.” He heard a voice say, then the scrabbling of many feet. A moment later, he heard something being dragged across the floor, then the demons, Michael with them, disappeared back through the flaming portal, which sunk back into the floor.
The numbness faded, and Julius pulled himself to his feet, wiping off his axe and placing it back on his belt. There was nothing more he could do here for his friend.
“I must alert Lord British.” Julius said aloud, trying to gather his thoughts. He glanced at his bleeding leg. He hadn’t thought to bring his reagents- a stupid mistake. Tearing a strip from his shirt, he bandaged the wound as best he could.
He picked up his pack and left the hut- time was of the essence. Lord British had to be alerted immediately, and every second the avatar was in the clutches of the demons increased the chances he would be killed.
Julius set out for Lord British’s castle, two hours to the south. It was a long walk, but he was no stranger to sacrifice; it had been his way of life ever since he was a child.
He glanced at the setting sun and the two rising moons as he walked. It appeared he wouldn’t be home on time after all.
