Night's Assailants: Valkyrian

[P.]

OoC: This story takes place in Vorna, and the main characters are Kandred (link in sig) and Nælís (link in sig). Hope ya'll like it!

BiC:

Night's Assailants:
Valkyrian



Chapter one: The stars.

Rain and wind took the land of Vorna, as winter came. Kandred looked out from under the tent, watching the small rain droplets bucket down. Is it worth the wait? Or is it redundant? He thought to himself, a bird larked, but then, silence. He heard a rustling of leaves a few feet away from his tent, but he could see nothing. The rain ceased abruptly, and the trees did not drip, the clouds in the sky disappeared, and a bright sun shone above the forest canopy. How strange. Something draws near.

"Hello? Is anybody there?"

Silence.

"Hello!"

Kandred's question was answered by a whiring and crunching, a metalic construct came out of the trees. It had two dog-like legs atached to a pod, inside the pod sat a human. The dome of glass that protected the human from the outside disappeared, the human let go of the controls, and fell out of a ejecter-seat that came out of the bottom of the walker.

"Hello there!"

"Hello."

"What's your name?"

"Kandred, and yours?"

"Jet, pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you too, Jet."

"I'm not from around here, and I don't know the land very well, do you?"

"I'm just as lost as you."

"Actually, I'm not lost at all, I'm just looking for an interstelar map, that's all."

"I have a map, want a look?"

"Yes please."

Kandred removed his cloak and top, revealing the map on his body. He rotated slowly, showing the map on his back. Jet pointed at a circle of stars with a bony finger.

"That's the Agemo ring! Amaizing, this is the map I've been looking for. Alpha and Delta told me that the map could be in any form, and this is the map, and what a strange form it is in."

"So you want this map? I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to take my skin with you to whereevr you're going."

"No problem, just come with me!"

"Ok, I'll come."

Kandred burnt his tent and hopped in the passenger seat of Jet's walker. In the walker it was nice and warm.

"What's that?" Said Kandred, pointing at a control.

"It's the stabilisation control, and that's the laser trigger." Said Jet, pointing at another control. He pressed the button ontop of the left joystick, and a laser shot out of a small cannon at the front of the walker, setting fire to a lone tree. "Here, you can control for a while." Jet handed Kandred the controls, and they swapped seats, and Jet began to teach Kandred how to control the walker. Jet told him how to rebalance the walkers legs if it fell off ballance, how to make the walker jump, and so on.

At the end of the day, Jet and Kandred came to a mountain, and soon got to the top of it climbing with the walker. To climb things, the walker shot grapling hooks out at holds it targeted itself, and pulled them up. Kandred controlled the walker on the way up, and became quite good by the time they reached the top. At the top of the mountain, it was flattened, and a Star-Fighter was landed there.

"What's that?"

"A mark-5 Star-Fighter, and we'll fly in it."

"That's good, but where will the walker go?"

"It folds up, like so." Jet pressed a button and the walker crouched down, folding up its legs, and locked in position. Kandred and Jet hopped out, and Jet jumped in the fighter while Kandred stood back. The fighter's small support legs folded nto the main form, and it floated there. The fighter floated backwards, and four mechanical arms spred out from the back, and connected around the walker, fastening it in place.

"Hop in!" Kandred climbed aboard, eager to take flight. Jet pressed a lbutton, and to control handels came out, and he grabbed onto both. He clicked a switch, and the cockpit sealed. He flicked another switch, and another control handel cam out, inbetween the two others, a button sat ontop of it, Jet pressed it. The engines roared, and the fighter was off into the air.

"Do you want to learn to control the gun turret?"

"Yes please."

"See that button next to your left hand? press it." Kandred pushed it, and his seat slid backwards, then to one side, and stopped. "Now, computer, gun controls." A beep sounded, and a control board slid infront of Kandred, and atached to his seat.

"What do I do now?"

"Pull the right lever down." Kandred's seat went upwards, into a small glass dome that was ontop of the fighter, and Kandred could see the land below and looked out, he could see a small fire where Kandred's camp had been. The controls for the gun turret were simple: a small blue screen was in the center, with a modern day mouse atached. The cursor was a target sign, and to fire at something, Kandred would bring the cursor over an object shown on the screen, double click on it, and it would be shot at. Kandred could aslo choose to fire torpedoes, lasers, shells, and guided missles use to fire at fast moving and hard to hit targets. Soon they broke free of the planets atmosphere, and they headed for a meteor filed. Jet gave Kandred an assignment: Kandred was to use all types of amunition to destroy as many meteors possible in a minute. Kandred destroyed twenty.

"Woohoo! That was fun!"

"I know, gunning always is."

[P.]

Chapter two: Blackcurrant brew

Nælís looked at her surroundings. The landscape had been covered in a carpet of white snow that made everything look ghostly, and it was too cold for Nay's liking. The wind howled, and the coarse wind raked at her skin.She saw a star shooting across the sky, and it crashed a few leagues off of where Nay stood.

Nælís stood over a mass of silver and orange steel, two men were seated inside it, unconscious. She pulled the dome of glass open and pulled the two humans out. Kandred sat up, and found himself looking up at a girl with black haor, pale skin, and very strange eyes. He roused Jet, who stood up, looking at his recked fighter.

"She can't be repaired. Darn those space pirates!"

"What happened?" Said Kandred, standing.

"A pirate ship attacked us, and a laser shot hit your gunning dome, so I sealed it off, pulling you down into the seat. Then we took a shell to starboard, and crashed. Tell me, Daemon, where are we?"

Nælís looked insulted, but spoke. "First, my name is Nælís, or Nay. Second, I am not a Daemon, I was infected when I slept with a Daemon when I was a teenager, I am human, just tainted. You are on the planet of Daeden, in the country of Vermile, we are still in Medieval times."

Kandred took an instant liking to her. "I am from a Mediaeval planet aswell, I am Kandred."

"And I am Jet, futuristic general rogue of company Blacktide, also a mercenary, but I would be gald to be your companion, so will Kandred won't you matey?"

"Yes I will. Do you have a house where we can sup and bunk?"

"Yes, north of here, a few leagues."

Nælís, Jet, and Kandred trekked through the forest, it was cold and wet, just like Vorma. They ended up in a large cave. Looking at the walls, Kandred heard a creak, and a door in the wall opened. They walked out into a tavern, with no one inside.

A dark figure rose out of the ground, it was a phantom. "Hello, Milady. Do you have guests with you?"

"Hello, Jaques. Yes, I do have some guests. This tall man is Kandred, and this little one is Jet."

"Hello, masters," Jaques bowed, and rose again, "What would you like? We have cold cider, blackcurrant brew, the ale of april, and anything you could imagine, all on tap."

Kandred looked empressed, he laughed, smiling. "Ha! I have nbever had so many drinks in my life! I'll have...hmmm... let me think... I think I'll have some ale of april, then some cider."

"And I'll have some blackcurrentt brew please." Said Jet, also looking empressed.

"I'll have plain malt please." Nælís took the mugs from Jaques' hands, and passed them to the other two. The tree companions drank all night, until dawn.

Kandred woke up, he felt sick; he had a hangover. He then realised where he was, he was on a couch, and Nælís was lying next to him. He swore under his breath, and then wiped lip stick from his cheeks. Jet came down a flight of stairs, and stood over the couch, smirking.

"Lucky man, Kandred good in the starship AND the bed! Woohoo!!" Jet said laughing.

"You rascal!" Kandred jumped up, and chased Jet out of the cave. "I'll teach you some manners!" Kandred chased Jet further across the field of snow, before realising he was naked.

[Jayolorin]

I have just read the first chapter and I must say, I am impressed with it. I think your writing style is pretty good as well.

There were a few things that could be checked in it though, spelling wise. :XD

[P.]

Thanks for the complements, and chapter three will be here soon, hopefully.

[P.]

Chapter three: A heavy burden

Kandred walked out of Nay's home, with Jaques by his side.

"Nælís is pregnant you know," said the phantom in his grim voice.

"I know; I was drunk, and iyt was her fault as much as mine," Kandred replied; his voice was also grim. "I was drunk; so was she. On my drunk will we slpet together; also on her drunk will, you must realise that."

"I do, she has taking a liking to you."

"And I to her. But what will I do about the child?"

"You must either prevent it from being born, or, you could always allow it to be born, and sire it."

"I will sire the child; I could not prevent it from been given birth to. I have stopped enough living in my lives. I will not continue to do so."

"You must talk to her, that you must realise."

"I do. And I will."

Kandred walked along the path back to the house, and he saw Nælís on the other path, he walked to her.

"Leave me alone, I must think." she said, Kandred did not like the answer.

"But Nay-"

Nælís jumped up into the tree, and disappeared. Kandred looked up and down for her, but it was to no avail. He walked back to the house and found Jaques at the door.

"Hello, was your talk succesful?"

"No. She sent me away, and disappeared into the canopy of the forest."

"Wait here, when she gets back, I will talk to her. Come, it is warm inside."

Kandred walked through the door into the cave and walked up the flight of stairs to the left. When he got to the top, he was looking through a window down on the white landscape below. He sat in a leather chair, and thought.

I can't wait any longer, it must be done.

Kandred walkd back down to Jaques, and talked with him.

"You need to talk with her, I can't wait too long, I have things to do, places to go.

"I know; your judgement is clouded. You need to have a think."

"I have. I have concluded that I will leave at nightfall tonight and search for my burden. Jet will stay here."

"Jet has left, Master. He left after you chased him, he thought that he should leave you for a while."

"So be it. If he comes back, tell him that I have left to find a friend of mine. Tell him to stay here until I get back."

"Yes, Master, I shall do your bidding."

Kandred left the building, taking only the provisions he needed. He took a southern path, walking only through the trees and not in the open for fear of being hunted was about him.

He camped for the night, only stopping for food and rest, nothing else would slow him. His water soon ran out and he had to melt the snow around him to make water. Kandred noticed a rowan amongst the towering elms, and he aproached it. He climbed up the side of the tree until he reached the top, and he jumped across to an elm, which he began to climb.

When Kandred reached the canopy of the woods, he looked out onto the vast emensity of it all.

It's beautiful.

He jumped from tree to tree, he was one with the woods and it was a part of him. His elf agility and strength flung him through the trees with tremendous speed. One day when he camped, the wind was still and thick with the scent of blood.

Wolves.

He climbed down to a low branch as he heard something coming, and he sat still, not making a sound nor moving a muscle, not even breathing. Three gray wolves walked past his tree and sniffed around, and they began to walk off. He slid out of the tree silently, and crept towards them. One growled, and he jumped behind a tree. When he turned back, the wolves were gone. He sped to the top of an elm, and lokked out over the woods. He saw four wolf-like creatures in the sky, and he realised that they had been werewolves. They were not exactly werewolves, they had taken flight, they had wings.

Nightwolves.

He jumped to the ground, knowing that there would be more nightwolves following. He ran southwards, and he eventually broke into a sprint. He looked up as he heard a scriech from the sky. He saw a Nightwolf in the sky, its bat wings were absolutely huge. Before landing, its wings folded along its back, adn turned into a billowing cape of black leather. The wolf turned into a human, and put a pair of shades on.

"Don't move, you're surrounded." The cape turned out to be a jacket that went to the Nightwolf's ankels, and stopped there. The Nightwolf placed a hand at his belt and pulled out a pistol, which was no ordinary bullet-firing pistol, this was a frag pistol. Kandred twitched slightly.

"I said, freeze!" The man pointed the frag pistol at Kandred's head, and walked slowly up to him. "It's an elf!"

"And you would be? Oh, yes, that's it, vermin."

"You do what I say, freak. Don't move." The apparent leader of the Nightwolves spat on Kandred's cheek, and Kandred wiped it away. "Don't move! I am Brokefang. And your name is not important." Brokefang's pistol hand trembled as he placed the barrel in contact with Kandred's left temple. "This pistol is loaded. Oh what's that? Did I just hear you ask what a pistol is? Hey, guys, I forgot that these primitive scum aren't very knowledgeable. How silly of me!" Brokefang laughed, so did the rest of the Nightwolves that had just landed, then the it stopped. Silence.

"I am Kandred, and I do know what a pistol is, and what a gun is. Your type are so 'knowledgeable', but I don't think you could remember what a good old punch is." In a swiped of his fist, Kandred disarmed Brokefang, punched him in the face, and before the pistol hit the ground, grabbed it and raised it to Brokefang's face. Brokefang twitched, and tried to kick Kandred in the thigh, but Kandred spun around backflipping onto Brokefang's back, and put Brokefang in a headlock. Kandred raised the pistol, and pushed the barrel into Brokefang's throat. "Science lesson: remove the pistols trigger, remove the clip, and remove the targeting array. Place the targetting array in the trigger slot, remove a charge from the clip, and rip a hole in the side of the barrel, and open the charge so you expose the nitrites. Heat the nitrites, and put them in the hole in the side of the barrel, and push on the targetting array." Kandred flicked the pistol around inside Brokefang's throat, and pushed down on the targetting array. Kandred jumped back, forcing the pistol down Brokefang's throat, kicked one of the Nightwolves in the face, and did the same to the rest. He jumped into a tree, and a high pitched humming came from Brokefang's chest. The hum became low pitched, and Brokefang's chest erupted in a burst of lung and flesh.

Kandred subsided the flames, and looked down on Brokefang's contorted face. The jaw jad been rent upwards, the throat was rent open, his nose was half ripped off, and his eyeballs had burnt to ashes. Kandred pushed the body over, and removed a fine silver chain from Brokefang's neck, it had a steel crucifix on it, which had fine engraving with gold trimming, and it was unscathed. Kandred slung it over his neck and walked off through the woods, heading for a burden that he knew he would find no matter the cost.

[P.]

Chapter four: Thrinmoore

Kandred walked through the woods, until he came to a point in the woods where it dropped into a cliff. At the bottom, which looked a lifetime away, there was a desert covered in snow. Kandred ran back twenty metres, and then sprinted at the cliff as fast as he could. He thought about eve
rything he hated, and the burden took effect. Feathers sprouted from his neck and arms, and he jumped off the cliff. He turned into a giant raven, and flew over the desert. He saw a town below, and he flew down to it. He was answered by volley after volley of orc arrows. Then his taint took over. He screiched, and hurtled vertically downwards at the village. He ripped the town apart with his wings, beak and talons. he flew away from the village and cliff, but an arrow whizzed up behind him and hit him in the neck. His form lighted with flame, and his elf form shot out of the burning raven. He rolled across the ground, getting snow through his clothes and he was cold to the bone.

He kapt on wandering for days, and he saw a figure on the horizon. He called at it, but it did not respond. Kandred sprinted, and thought about his hated things, waiting for the burden to affect on him. Nothing happened. He arn faster, nothing. Faster, nothing. Faster, nothing. Faster, now he was at the edge of his abilities. He tripped, and landed on the ground with a thud and the hurling of snow. He fell unconscious, and went limp.

The demi-god Thrinmoore walked up to Kandred's unconscious body.

"You are cursed, and I must resurect you if you die, but you are not dead yet; let us wait for fate to take hold."

Kandred awoke, and heard the man talking. He did not move a muscle, he did not breath, nor blink, he lay there with his eyes shut.

"I know that you are awake, Kandred."

Kandred dare not move.

"You may move, I mean you no harm."

Kandred's taint took hold. Sure, now die, thought Kandred, and he lept up, striking the man across the face. "Tainted flame!" Kandred raoed, and a black fire shot from his hand, scorching the man's face. "Tainted wind!" A black smoke shot at the man's thighs, knocking him over. Kandred picked up the man's sword, and stabbed him. Th man gasped, and his flesh turned to ash, leaving a black skeleton on the ground. Red smoke rose from the ashes and encircled the sword in Kandred's hand. The sword became unnaturally light, and Kandred lifted it with ease. He could not see the hilt nor the blade as they were engulfed in the smoke. Kandred tied the handle to his belt, and it hung there, dangling.

In the next few days Kandred discovered the power of this weapon, and called it Shadow. He could still not see the blade or hilt, but he was under the empression that it had changed under the smoke, for when he struck downwards with it like a hammer, it acted like a hammer, leaving a mark or dent on the object it striked, but when used like a sword, it would cut and stab, and it would also imitate a flail and a sheild, but always took the form of a sword with the shadow atop it. In the weeks to come, Kandred fell in love with shadow and began to call it 'my beloved' aswell as Shadow. It began to taint his mental and physical appearance. He saw everything like he used to in his first life, and he would kill whenever given the chance. His form was changed; his hair went soot black, and his sword hand- his right hand- had changed: its skin was black, and at the edge of his hand the black ckin would not just end flatly, but it swirled like snakes, and never stopped moving.

Although Kandred had only walked in one direction, he came across Thrinmoore's corpse.

"Hello Thrinmoore; like what has become of your sword? Say hello to Shadow!"

Kandred swung Shadow about, using her as a hammer, flail, and a sword, crushing the skeleton and ashes, which set on fire and then the smoke issued from it turned purple, and the flame went out, leaving no trace of its presence. The purple smoke engulfed Shadow's entire form, and suddenly it became unearthily heavy in Kandred's hands, and he dropped it. Shadow's shadow disappeared, leaving the sword on the ground. Shadow's form had changed completely from when it was a sword. It was now a broad sword, and the handle had became long enough for Kandred to hold it with both hands. Its handle was now curved backwards in the direction of the handle, and in the middle of it there was an amethyst. The pommel of the sword was an amethyst shaped into a small cube. at the top of the blade, the metal went purple, and then became amethyst, and then the amethyst snaked down the blade half way, where it stopped. At the base of the blade, it got wider, and it widened so much that it was nearly as wide as the hilt. A voice emenated from the sword,

"This sword is not Shadow, Kandred. It is Thrinmoore; I am trapped within it, making it a uneathily powerful wepaon. However: you must become very powerful to wield me, for my energies weigh it so much you cannot imagine. If you wish to wield me, you must set me into a wall. You must then remove me from the wall, lift the blade as far as your arms can stretch, with the tip of the blade pointing skyward. Then you must turn me around so that the point is pointing landward, keeping your hands as high as possible. Then thrust me downwards into a slab of granite, and the granite must split evenly in two. You must do this without dropping me once. Leave me stuck in the ground beneath the granite slab for a day and a night, then you may wield me. This is a ritual called Dringorn, perform it every day, else I shall vanish forever."

[P.]

Chapter five: Weilding the sword.

Kandred had no way of getting Thrinmoore back to Nælís' house, so he decided to talk with him. "Thrinmoore, please let me carry you back to Nælís' house, lighten yourself, please."

'If I must.' Thrinmoore replied, slightly becoming lighter, and Now Kandred belted him.

"Thank you."

As the day progressed, Kandred realised that having all of Thrinmoore's weight on one side of his body would be bad for him, so he strapped the demi-sword to his back with every slither of leather he could find. It was lain vertically across Kandred's back, making it more comvortable for the elf. Kandred turned around and ran as fast as the sword on his back would allow him, and he reached the cliff the next day on sunrise.

Kandred pulled some granite out of his pocket, and set the sword upon the cliff face. Kandred lifted the sword off of the wall, and strained to lift the sword any higher than his head, and he dropped the sword. He packed up, and Thrinmoore once again became lighter for Kandred to carry him. Kandred had difficulty climbing the rockface with the heavy sword on his back, and it took him three days of nonstop climbing.l

He was once again in the woods, and he clmbed through them as well. his elf-like grace did not falter until he came to the edge of the woods, and he performed dringorn setting Thrinmoore on a tree. But it was to no avail, he could still not lift Thrinmoore any higher than his head. It's impossible, hopeless, thought Kandred.

'`Tis not impossible, just hard.' Replied Thrinmoore like a voice in his head.

"You're impossible!" Yelled Kandred at the sword on his back, but Thrinmoore weighed himself and struck Kandred mentally. Kandred fell back into the snow. but he couldn't get up, for the weight on his back was too great. "Let me up, Thrinmoore." But Thrinmoore didn't reply. Kandred took this as a challenge from the demi-sword, and tried to lift himself up, but it was too heavy, the sword was too heavy.

'You know Kandred, a wise man once said, if you don't think about it it goes away.'

Kandred was puzzled by what the sword had said, and he realised that this was a mental challenge aswell as a physical one; he had to solve the riddle to be able to lift himself.

"I tell you what, I wish you would just go away." Said Kandred stubornly, but that gave him an idea. Don't think about the sword, don't think about it, not at all. Clear your mind. He thought to himself, and he suddenly could get up, he was nearly sitting, when,

'Good, very good'

Kandred thought about Thrinmoore, and fell backwards. "Crap!"

'You have failed, Kandred.'

Suddenly Thrinmoore lightened himself, for Kandred had failed. Kandred stood up, and began walking.

At nightfall Kandred reached the cave and went inside to the bar, where Nay and Jet were sitting, drinking brandy. Nay jumped up, looking concerned and angry.

"Where were you!" She jumped forward and punched Kandred in the face.

"Please don't hit me, I have travelled far and I am tired."

"I don't care! I am pregnant!" Nay punched Kandred again in the face.

"Please don't hi-" Kandred fell back with a thud and a clang, he had fell unconscious.

Kandred awoke the next morning, his head aching terribly. He looked around, and was suddenly scared.

"Thrinmoore! Where is Thrinmoore!" Jet came rushing into the room, looking at Kandred, who lay on the couch.

"Who the hell is Thrinmoore?"

"He, or it, is a sword, a broadsword, where is he!"

"Oh, the sword, me and Nay left it on the floor in the bar because neither of us could carry it. How did you manage to carry it back here?"

"Long story, but I must see to it that he is set on a wall."

"Why, Ka-"

Kandred leapt up and ran into the bar, seeing Thrinmoore on the floor, he relaxed.

"Please, now Thrinmoore, lighten yourself so I can set you on a wall."

Thrinmoore replied so all could here, not just Kandred. "That is part of the Dringorn. You must set me on a wall, without dropping me.

"I'll never do that! It is impossible along with you!"

"Patience! Have patience, I am your master now, it is not the other way around. Now, perform the Dringorn. Now!" The sword discharged a blue bolt of energy at Kandred, which knocked him back onto the floor. "LIFT ME!!" This time the sword boomed so loud that the room shook, along with the rest of the house.

Kandred cleared his mind, and lifted the sword with ease. He strapped it on his back and worked into the living room. Kandred turned so his back was facing the back wall, and he roared, charging backwards into the wall, "Raaargh!" on contact with the wall, Thrinmoore made a thud, an Kandred cut the leather straps on his back. The wall had been dented so that the sword fitted perfectly in the hole.

"Get me a slab of granite, now!" Nælís ran off and came back with a slab of granite, and she laid it on the floor between Thrinmoore and Kandred. Kandred did the ritual, but again he dropped the sword at head height.

For the next three months Kandred performed the ritual all day everyday, only stopping to eat, drink, and sleep. Nælís' stomach was becoming larger and it was obvious she was pregnant. Over the three months Nælís fell in love with Kandred, and Jacques wedded them. Kandred kept on going with his routine, and was slowly improving. He could now lift Thrinmoore up, but when he went to spin the sword around to point downwards, he would drop it from exhaustion.

One day Kandred awoke to the sound of his wife screaming repeatedly, he turned to where his wife would normally sleep next o him, but she was not there. He ran downstairs, and found Jet and Jacques standing by the couch, where Nælís lay. She was holding a baby, Kandred smiled, realising that she had just given birth to their child.

"He's wonderful, isn't he." Said Nay in a exhausted voice.

"He is, but he needs a name."

"He does, we could name him after your father."

"We will, but, I cannot remember my previous life. Oh yes, it's coming back to me now, my father was Johans. But I don't think it's a very bice name."

"How about...um...let Thrinmoore name him!"

"That is a good idea," Kandred turned to Thrinmoore on the wall, "Thrinmoore? Will you name our child?"

"Yes I will. How about after my brother, another elf demi-god, who was the first to ressurect you. The child shall be called , Garenjin"

"That's a nice name, isn't it, Gar?" Said Nælís to the little baby, tickeling his nose, he gurgled in amusement.

"Gramnafga!"

"Hahahah! that boy's a little ripper, what say you, Kandred?"

"He certainly is, Jet. You can be his uncle."

"Yay! I am thrilled thankyou, Kandred." Jet bowed very low, and then suluted, hitting his shoe with his hand as he stood up.

"Haaha! Your antics never end, do they, Jet?"

In the next ten years Kandred continued doing the ritual all ay, but he spent mor time with little Gar, who was no longer that little. One day Kandred had a reminiscent of his first life, and he saw the blue dragon, and said one word to himself.

"Sckitter." He walked out of the cave, and yelled out at the summer sky.

"SCKITTER! HEAR ME!" Gar was woken by the sound of his father yelling, and rushed out of his room and down the stairs to see what was happening.

"Morning Jacques." He said as he ran through tha ohantom, and down the stairs, past his mother, who was having a cup of cofee.

"Morning Garejin."

"Morning mum." Gar ran outside to see Kandred standing next to a blue dragon patting its head.

"Morning dad, who's this?"

"This a frined of mine from my first life, meet Sckitter. Sckitter, this is my son Garenjin, Gar, this is my fiend Sckitter."

"Please to meet you, Sckitter."

"Likewise, Garenjin." Hand shook claw as the two became friends.

Kandred introduced Sckitter to the family, and went back to facing the sword on the wall.

"Dad, do you have to do that now?"

"Yes, besides, I have an idea."

Kandred stepped back, and Sckitter stood next to him.

"Alliance of the Auras, past and present, I call forth your power!" Kandred saw himself in his last life, with the skull-face and armour, and a saphere of flame and air encircled him. His wings sprouted, brighter than ever. Then they flamed, and they grew hot, but Kandred could barely stand it. The sphere around him came over him, and he turned back into the crimson aura, with his staff in hand, then the small necklace with the Auran symbol and amber crystals appeared again. He then saw Bagan, and spriuted to more wings, but these ones were Hawk's. Sckitter roared, and Kandred drew forth the energies from inside the dragon. Kandred dropped his staff, and picked up the sword from the wall.

"Aaarrrgh!!"

Kandred lifted Thrinmoore high, pointing the blade upwards. then in one movement, he spun the sword around and slammed it into the granite below. The slab split, evenly in half. My work is done. Kandred collapsed in a heap as his wings, cloak and bone armour disappeared, leaving him as his normal self.

"Wake up! Kandred? Wake up!" Kandred awoke to the sound of Nælís shaking him. He sat up on the couch, partly dazed.

"What happened?" said Kandred in a confused voice. "I can't see."

"You will see when you can," said Sckitter's deep voice.

A few hours later Kandred regained his sight, "Now what is it?" Nælís spun him around to see the hole in the wall where the sword had been. "Where is Thrinmoore?!"

'Here, my pupil.'

Kandred looked down to see Thrinmoore in the floor. Sckitter spoke very triumphantly,

"He's been there for a day and a night! Now, lift him up."

Kandred jumped off the couch and walked around it, looking at the sword the whole while. He clasped the sword in his hands, feeling its power.

"You may not use your friends this time, you must do it alone."

Kandred pulled on the handle with all his might, but it wouldn't budge.

"Who will be there for me if I fail?"

"Your family, dad."

"Right Gar, my fami-" then Kandred remembered the voice in his head from the start of his second life, Likaria, I am failing, be there for me...

[But I already am here for you...]

Suddenly Kandred felt a new strength within him, and he pulled on the handle until his muscles thribbed with pain, so did his head. But just then, his head felt normal, and his muscles only hurt slightly, even though he was still pulling with the same strength. He then pulled harder until his muscles and head throbbed, but the sword came free of the ground, it also felt lighter than a feather.

"Thrinmoore, I did not use anyone but my present self, Likaria may be female, but she is a part of me."

"I know, when I said that you can only use yourself, I meant for you to use Likaria, it was a test of your mental power."

And thankyou Likaria, I could not of done it without you.

[Always a pleasure, Kandred.]

[P.]

Chapter six: The beginning of a quest.

Kandred sat at his desk in his study. He was reading a manuscript written thousands of years ago.

In the city where nothing lives,
A memory lives on.
A single god of kindness is the one who gives,
To whomever walks the road, Winding and long.
Find the chest of old,
Open it to find silver, Bronze, And gold.
A memory lives on,
For those who walk the road, Winding and long.

"What a strange clue. Yet I think that I was the one meant to find it."

'Maybe, Kandred. But there is another.'

"And how do you know?"

'I am a god, you know.'

"I do know that, master. But I have a quest to complete."

[That you do.]

Kandred walked out of his study and into the living room. He saw Jet sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee, and Jacques was in the bar washing beer mugs. He couldn't see Nælís anywhere, so he went upstairs to find her. Kandred went into his and her bedroom and saw her lying, asleep, on the bed.

"Wake up. Nay, Wake up." He said, lightly shaking her.

"What is it?" she said, wearily.

"I need to have a talk with the family, hurry." She nodded, and Kandred walked off to Garenjin's room. He looked in the door, but his son was not there.

"Where could he be?" Said Kandred, running down the stairs hastily.

When Kandred got downstairs, he asked Jet where Garenjin was.

"He's gone flying with Sckitter, he should be back soo- Oh, there he is." Said jet, pointing out the doorway. Garenjin was seated on Sckitter's back, and he hopped off with his father's elf-like grace.


"Gar, Sckitter, come here. Family conversation."

In a amatter of minutes the entire family was seated in the living room.

"Dad, what did you want to tell us?" Asked Gar inquisitively.

"I have to tell you all something. Before I came here and met your Nay I lived in a place called the Battle Dome. Sckitter also will know of this place." Sckitter nodded. "It is a large white metal dome-shaped building. It is linked across millions of worlds, and it will appear in a world when it sences a fighter who wishes to learn from it. It is linked also across time, and is very powerful.
"I need to get to a world that I cannot get to from here, and I need to finish a quest. To get to this place I must go to the Dome, and I plan to leave tomorrow morning. Sckitter, Jacques and Thrinmoore will accompany me on this quest." and with that, Kandred left.

But Kandred did not leave when intended. He disappeared for four days, and then when he came back, he was tired and worn. He held three weapons: a battleax, a long bow, and a warhammer.

"Jet, I have this weapon for you." said Kandred, handing the warhammer to Jet. "For My beloved wife, I have this." he said, handing the bow to Nay. "And for Garenjin, I have a Battleax." The family looked at their weapons inquisitively.

"Thanks alot dad. What are they for?"

"They are for defending yourselves if someone attacks. And also, for Jacques, I have these weapons." in Kandred's hands a pair of metre long katanas in sheaths materialized. He then handed them to the phantom, and left for his sudy.

When he got back, he was carrying a few packs and Thrinmoore. He handed a pack to Jacques and Sckitter each, and then he said goodbye to his wife, his brother and his friend. Afterwards the three companions disappeared into the forest outside.

[Jayolorin]

Ooooh, the plot thickens.

By the way, you posted two sixes. >.>

[P.]

Chapter Seven: A new companion.

Kandred, Sckitter, and Jacques walked through the summer forest, watching many small animals running about on the ground.

"Kandred, what is this quest of yours?" asked Jacques inquisitively.

"We are set out to find a way to stop an evil power." the elf replied.

"And what evil is this?"

"I can't exactly tell, but I know that something is brewing, something that we must stop." Kandred then realised that Sckitter had not spoken for a long time. "Sckitter, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing, really. It's just that lately I have been having visions in my sleep, strange visions. We've been travelling for three days, and every night I dream strange dreams."


"And what are in these dreams?"

"You, Kandred, I've been having dreams of your past life." Kandred suddenly thought of his last life, but his brain throbbed, sending him to the ground.

"What is it Kandred?"

"May past life, but I now know what we must do next."

"And what is that old chap?"

"Jacques, what we must do is run." in an instant the three burst into a sprint, all of them faster than any human; Kandred, with his elf agility, Sckitter with his dragon strength, and Jacques with his ability of wraith flight.

All of a sudden an arrow whizzed past Kandred's face, landing in the ground infront of him. Kandred then heard a shout.

"Wrath!" the shout was followed by a multitude of small green energy balls shooting past Kandred, and hitting a tree. The energy spun around the tree, ravaging it, and it fell over with a crunch.

"Sckitter, take to the air." Kandred told Sckitter, and the dragon flew up. "Jacques, turn to your right." the phantim turned, and Kandred also turned, but to his left. The elf and the phantom charged at a man clad in black robes and leather, who carried two broadswords. The man had one robotic eye, which did not blink at all. He raised his swords, ready to defend himself. Jacques whisped over the man, and slashed at his back. He spun around instantly, gasping. Kandred then sent a ball of fire into the man's cloak, the man fell over. Kandred flipped the man onto his back, and removed the two broadswords from his hands.

"Now tell me, who are you and who hired you?"

The man gasped, but then answered. "I am Kiga Forthor, of the Humans of Mchanicus. I was hired by a man."

"Who was that man?"

"I don't know. He was completely garbed in black, even his face. He told me to do his bidding. I couldn't resist, there was something about him that made me do this, and I don't know what it was."

"Where did you meet him first?"

"In a mountain range, last winter. He told me tohunt down an elf, and he showed me a picture of you. I don't know how, but I knew how to find you. I was told to end your life and that of your fiends."

"What fiends?"

"I don't know, he told me that you have fiends, and to kill them aswell as you."

"Well tell your master that I don't have any fiends."

"No! Don't make me go back to him, he's horrible."

"Okay then, come with us. I can lift the control spell that the man has oveer you, stand up, Kiga."

"Yes. Thankyou."

Kandred began humming, and rubbed his hands against Kiga's temples. "You are released."

"Thankyou. I am very grateful."

"It was a pleasure. But we must be off, for we have a quest to finish!"

~

The party of four travelled for eight more days until they came to a vast grassland. Behind them, to the west, there was the forest. To the north and south, there was the grassland. And to the east, there was a vast mountain range.

"So, what do we do here?" asked Jacques.

"We wait. They are coming." was Kandred's reply, which was said in grim tone.

"What are coming? Who are they?"

"I should say it, it is coming. And what it is exactly, I don't know. It is something that we will have to fight."

"Jolly good, some more fighting!" was Jacques comment that ended the conversation, and they all soon fell asleep on the soft grass.

[P.]

Chapter eight: Seraphim

Kandred woke up. He was sweating all over and his skin was hot. He shook the other three awake. "Wake up, we're going."

"But w-"

"We're going, now come!" Kandred belted Thrinmoore, and they were off. They were sprinting, as fast as they could, north. "To the air, all of you. Kandred grabbed Kiga by the arm and threw the man onto Sckitter's back. The dragon rose in the air, as did the phantom and the elf. A few minutes later, they landed on the side of a mountain. They began to climb up the mountain, using what energy they had left. Eventually, tired and exhausted, they reached the pinnacle of the mountain.

"Lie low, keep out of site." They all lay on the rocky and uncomfortable surface of the mountain, waiting. Within minutes they could hear the sound of marching troops below. But when they looked, they didn't see troops, but thousands of Nightwolves, with a few goblins and orks amongst them. How strange, Kandred thought. He sought the counsel of Likaria and Thrinmoore. Likaria, Thrinmoore, what should we do?

'Wait until they've passed, then we leave.'

[Thrinmoore’s right, we shouldn't fight them.]

Kandred waited for a few more hours, but the army kept coming. "We should go now, we'll have to risk them seeing us." And as in answer to Kandred's comment one of the Nightwolves flew up, about a few hundred feet above the height of the mountain the travellers were on. It changed into a human, and its cloak swirled about in the wind. As it was falling, it fired its gun at them, and unfortunately it was semi-automatic.

"Wrath!" The man was struck by a ravaging storm of blue, and he fell down into the ranks below. This triggered the Nightwolves to fly up and land next to them. But only a few of them had guns and were garbed in cloaks, the rest were pitch-black skinned demons, whose fingers pointed into claws. They were wielding ninja-tos, which they swung at the companions. Kandred kept on striking the things down, and when they died they disappeared in a puff of smoke. Then Kandred saw a different one. It was garbed in white, and from its back sprouted white angelic wings. His skin was pale as snow, and he wielded a longsword.

"Feel the pain of Seraph!" The man swung his sword at Kandred, and Kandred parried the blow. The two were locked in combat, and Kandred then realised that the other three had been captured and encircled by the warriors. The Seraphim's blows got stronger and stronger, until Kandred's arm hurt. Even when he called on the strength of Likaria and Thrinmoore, the blows were too much for Kandred. "Now feel the pain of my holy sword!" The blade hit Thrinmoore's blade a few inches down from the middle, and a small splitting sound emanated from the sword. Thrinmoore's blade had cracked, and a single whisp of golden smoke leaked from the wound. Kandred fell back onto the ground looking up at the smirk on the angel’s face. The man raised the sword, and a whirring sound of an arrow sounded. A silver arrow protruded from the right side of the man's head, whom toppled over, dropping the sword. Kandred stood up, arm throbbing, seeing the Nightwolves disappear in a puff of smoke. He looked to his left, and saw, on the top of another mountain, an adolescent girl holding a blue bow. The girl disappeared in a charge of blue energy. The others stood up.

"What was that?" Asked Kiga.

"A Seraphim warrior." Kandred reached down to where the body was, but it wasn't there at all. "He may come back soon, even though he is dead. We should move. To the air we take."

~

Kandred had taken damage from the crack in Thrinmoore. He felt sick, and weakened. Since the battle with the Seraphim Thrinmoore had only leaked one more whisp of golden smoke. He had tired to stop the leaking, but it did not close up. Also, Thrinmoore had not spoken since.

The group had landed on another mountain, about three days off from the first one. Kandred had lost so much energy from the past week that he could no longer fly; he had lost too much energy. He got up, walking over to Kiga. Kandred's white hair swayed in front of his face. Kiga looked up at him, his electronic eye moving about with a mind of its own. Kiga had let it roam around, looking for nothing in particular.

"When are we leaving this mountain? I've noticed that our pace has slowed considerably."

"You are observant. But you make a point. We slowed down because I have sensed that nothing is coming our way, it is very strange. I think we'll stay here a bit longer, we need a rest."

"I'll tell the others."

"Thanks." Kandred despised the rocky surface below his feet, which was so hard and uncomfortable. He stood up, observing the mountains around him. He saw one, which was clearly at least three times the size of the other mountains. Near the bottom of it there was a mountain about half the size of the rest, and from the top of it smoke billowed. "Kiga." Kiga walked over. "See that mountain over there?" he said, pointing at the mountain. Kiga nodded. "And see that smoke." Kiga nodded. "I think there may be some orcs forging weapons in there. We should move." Kandred turned to face in the opposite direction of the mountain. North. Kiga had just told the others of what Kandred had said, and the others got up. Kiga hopped onto Sckitter’s back as Sckitter and Jacques took off. Kandred just sat on the mountain, and lay down.

“Aren’t you coming?” said Kiga.

“No. I’ll stay here, just go about ten leagues north and stop there. I’ll catch up.”

“If you insist…” was the reply, the rest of the party flew north. Kandred slid his fingers across the surface of the mountain, its rough composition rubbing against his fingers. All of a sudden, Kandred’s finger slipped into a small crack in the mountain. It was about an inch deep, and only just slightly wider than his finger. It ran along, curving slightly, for about two metres or so until it split into. It forked, and the two forks met on the other side, forming a circle. On the other side of the small circle the line continued. The line went around the mountain randomly, coming across hundreds of circles, and intersections with other lines. Kandred got board and stopped looking at the lines, and instead he looked at his long, slender, elf fingers. He once again ran his finger along the lines, looking at the back of his hand as he did so. On his hand there was part of his body’s inscriptions. In the centre of the back of his hand there was a circle, about three inches in circumference, joined to a line which went up in the direction of his ring finger. It split up, going up to the base of every finger. The lines went up to the knuckles, where ther was another small circle, and went up to the tip of his finger. At the tip of his fingers and on the joints there were circles. Kandred looked at the ground below his right hand, which he was inspecting, and saw something strange. Inside a large circle there was a pattern of lines: a pattern of lines exactly the same to his right hand.

[P.]

Chapter nine: The gods

Kandred looked at the lines on the mountain, wondering. His hand began to tingle as he slid his hand over the markings, lining them up with his hand. The markings on his hand glowed blue, as did the rest of the markings on his body. An invisible force thrust him to the ground, lining up all of the lines with his own. He then noticed that the mountain’s surface was now smooth, like marble, and the inscriptions on the mountain glowed blue aswell. He rose several feet in the air, unable to move. A white light blinded him temporarily. When he could see again, he was in a white room, and all of his clothes that normally covered his torso were gone. His feet were bared, and the floor was cold against his skin. Everything then took form. He was in his room in the Dome, and he quickly rustled up the stairs to his bed. He grabbed a book, Razgran’s Notes, and leafed through it quickly. He found what he was looking for: a map of Vorna’s main continent: Errall. He looked at the map, drawing his finger over the page, past Gorgranek, and then north, until found the mountain range that stretched over the northern and eastern coast. He found what he was looking for: one mountain was labelled with the number 3. He looked at the notes on the map, and looked at 3. it wrote:
Mountain of the Map. This mountain’s flat top is etched with an interstellar map, and one man shall bare the map on his form. This map is a channelling spot, for the gods of Vorna to communicate with their world.
Kandred slammed the book shut and put it back on its shelf. He saw his clothes, hanging off of the room door, and leapt down, over the railing, and grabbed them. He donned his cloak, putting the hood on. He slipped his jacket on, not caring to button it up. He then put on his boots and laced them up, not bothering to fold them down. He grabbed Thrinmoore off the floor from where it lay and barged out of the room and into the halls of the Dome. He jumped into the air, flapping his wings, and shot through the halls, above the people on the ground. He flew around, trying to find Tempus’ room, for he sought help; but his mind was misted over and he could not remember where it was. He landed back at his room and rammed the door down, fastening it back on with air magic. He ran and jumped up onto the pathway above the ground, opening the door to his house back in Vorna. He ran down the stairs and into the living room, and saw his family.
“Dad!” Gar ran up to him.
“Air!” Kandred shot the boy backwards, not wanting to be hindered as he ran out the door he leapt into the air, beating his wings furiously. He could just see the army of Nightwolves pouring from Orc Pass above Gorgranek.

~

He finally passed over the Gorgranek plains and he flew into Gorgranek castle through an open window. He was in the throne room, a long room, almost like a hallway, two hundred metres long, and at the other end sat the King on his throne. The King Boomed.
“Intruder! Seize him, guards! The guards leapt for Kandred, who shot them back with a single burst of air. He landed before the King, kneeling. He raised his head, looking at the king, who stood up, grabbing his Round-Axe. “You wish to be executed?” the King said, mockingly.
“No, my Lord Razgran.” At that moment Kandred realised that the King was not Razgran.
“I am not Razgran. Razgran was my Lord, and he was killed just over a decade ago. I was his apprentice, and now I am King, and Flame, of the RedClad Forces. I am Axle Rarronson. What is it you want, dragon-man?”
“I am not a dragon-man!” Kandred stood up, towering the King. “I will not let my people be insulted, I am an Izzorius, and proud of it!”
“I am sorry. You must not get so angry. Now, what are you here for?”
“I am Kandred Johansson, and I have come with news of an army marching towards Gorgranek. It comprises of both orcs and Nightwolves.”
“You say this is true?”
“Yes, King Axle. Look out your window.” Axle and he walked down the Hallway to the door, and walked out. They walked to their left, until they came to a window that pointed north-east. The black form of an army could be seen marching towards the town.
“Now tell me, Kandred, who are you?”
“I am Kandred Johansson, as I said before, and I am a great King of Nérôlass, and Vorna, I am the Auric King.”
“The Auric King. Who are the Aurics?”
“The people of the Auric Clans and towns. I am the King of Izzorius, the Clan of red and white. The Clan of fire and air. The WindFlame people. You will be needing us in some close time.”
“What are the other Clans? Who are the others?”
“There are two others: the Terrigor, the people of the Forge – magma and metal –, and the Sûl-Éad – water and darkness.”
“Who are their leaders?”
“The King of the Terrigor is Kiga Forthor, and the King of the Time Benders is Tempus.”
“I see. I must ask you, you are the King of flame and of wind, what magic do you possess?”
“I shall show you. Ôdu!” Kandred shot an orb of white energy at the wall, it dispersed as it hit.
“What use is wind, it does not burn, break, or do anything.”
“It does, now watch, if I may.” Kandred shot wind at Axle, knocking him back, and then, just as the King hit the ground, Kandred levitated him up a few feet. “That is what use it is.”
“I see, I am sorry that I doubted your power.” Kandred stood the man up where he had been a few moments before.
“And here is fire. Örl!” a ball of flame shot forward, smashing itself on the stone wall.
“Is that all?”
“No, it is not. I have two other spells, but I will only perform one here. The other is too powerful. Ôdu Gorn!” Kandred burst into the air, his wings turning into white, feathered beauties, stretching the width of the room, making him cramped. “I must move into your Hall so I can fit.” and Kandred slid into the Hall, his wingspan covering half of the width of the Hall.
“Impressive, and very so.” the guards screamed in terror, throwing their spears at Kandred, but he just stopped them in the air, letting them float to the ground.
“I must be off, I shall see you soon, King Axle.” Kandred folded his wings into his body, flying out of the large window he had flown in.

He flew at a normal pace for a while, but then sprouted his wings, his speed doubling as he did so. He flapped his wings, rising on a thermal, and then just hovering momentarily, surveying the landscape as he did so. He could see smoke coming from the forest, a sign that his wife was cooking. He flew down, landing at the foot of a huge oak. The forest was entirely made of oaks, except for a few that were at the centre of the forest. Kandred’s time in Air Form ran out, and he turned back to normal. He mov