Ancient Domains Of Mystery, forum overview / Stories / The Freak Story
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Gordismo Registered user False God Last page view: 7680 days, 9 hours, 47 minutes and 26 seconds ago. |
Two of his men was already down before Byrak has reached the invaders, his tamed tiger ran looking for prey somewhere else. An orc fell down beside him, and its slayer headed towards him. In his hand held a quarterstaff, which he swung at him. Byrak parried the blow and looked at the face of his enemy, and gasped. A chaos brother? Byrak thought in horror. He had a rather hateful memories of these monsters, as it was one that had killed his father, and almost killed him, before chased away by his fellow orcs. Byrak quickly shrugged off his moment of shock, and proceeded to parry a swing from this being's quarterstaff. His opponent seemed to anticpate the block, and shifted the attack more downwards. The quarterstaff hits the orc's legs, causing the priest to fall backwards. He saw his enemy step towards him and proceeded to swing his quarterstaff for the final blow. The priest swung his staff up, but not to parry the blow, instead, a ray shot out of it, stunning his opponent. The orc rolled to the side and jumped up, then proceeded to swing his staff towards his enemy. His opponent has regained his sense by then, and knocked priest's staff right out of his hands. Byrak paniced, and took every ounce of his will not to run away, he reached into his knowledge of clerical spells, and threw energy at the advancing enemy, expecting him to slow down. But the enemy didn't slow down, but instead, raised his staff. Byrak knew it was too late, but reached for his own staff anyways. He saw his opponent starting to swing... ...only to get knocked down by a black blur. Catherine growled, and kept her paws on the enemy. Behind her, a dark elf lay unconcious on the ground, beside the elf layed a human, still concious, but barely alive. His orcs seemed confused as to what to, and Byrak saw why. Standing in front of both of the invaders was the healer Jarod, who the orcs had owned a debt to for saving their lives once, Byrak's included. "Jarod, stand aside, or we will kill you too," Byrak cried, angry at the healer's interferance. Jarod started to reply, but was inturupted by a startled cry. Byrak turned his head towards the sound, and saw, in front of his orc warriors, a being of pure chaos, heading straight towards them. "The past is a ghost that haunts you from the moment it exists until the moment you don't" [Edited 1 time, last edit on 5/14/2003 at 22:34 (GMT -5) by Gordismo] |
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Ryan Klein Registered user Because I said so is why! Last page view: 1865 days, 13 hours, 49 minutes and 12 seconds ago. |
Marvelling at the battle skills of the priest he was fighting, Reiko turned and so a beast so corrupted by chaos that it had lost all semblance of humanity. He screamed in anguish and fell. Callista saw the beast and knew instinctively that Reiko had fallen from it's reak of chaos. She positioned herself in front of him and the robed orc and proceeded to shoot bolt after bolt at the horrid thing. It eventually fell due to a blast from the robed orc. When it was undoubtebly dead, Callista turned to Jharod and said "Heal him" indicating Reiko. She then turned to the orc and... |
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Iridia Registered user YASD Last page view: 3966 days, 8 hours, 44 minutes and 19 seconds ago. |
Callista had one more tiny quarrel left, and she kept it trained on the orc. She didn’t bother to hide her surprise as she said, “You helped us, when you could simply have run and let that Chaos-ridden beast take us. Why?” Although Byrak had little magical power left, he kept a spell close to mind, ready to attack. “Chaos is no one’s friend,” he said, “not even the orcs’.” The ever-present suspicion on the priest’s face grew deeper as he glanced at Callista’s two companions: a dark elf, rumored servants of Chaos, and Reiko, whose ruined face Jharod held between his palms. “No one’s friend,” repeated the priest, “though some claim friendship.” Byrak did not know where the Chaos-beast had come from; to his ever-mistrustful mind, it was not such a far-fetched thought that Reiko, with his aura of Chaos and disfigured face, had somehow called it to help them. That Callista had helped him to slay it quieted his mind only a little. At the priest’s comment, Callista grew angry. “Reiko is a friend of Jharod’s, and an enemy of Chaos,” she said. “His appearance is not by his own choice.” Callista felt a bit of déjà vu as she recalled her first meeting with Reiko, and her own initial suspicion. Reiko, who had recovered more quickly this time than the last, had been listening to the conversation. “My body may be scarred by Chaos,” his hands spoke, “but my will is still my own. Callista spoke truly when she said I am an enemy of Chaos; and as long as my will remains my own, that is what I shall be.” Byrak did not relax his grip on his weapon, but his misgivings quieted enough to let him consider Reiko’s words. Behind him, the remaining orcish warriors shifted uncomfortably, their promised battle taken from them. “What is your quest in the domain of the orcs?” Byrak demanded. Callista was about to explain their role in Yrrigs’s rescue, but Jharod interrupted. “They came to seek me,” he said. “I am to lead Reiko and his companions to see a healer who dwells in the great Rift, far to the east of this place. If we are successful, and the man’s skills are as great as I hope, Reiko may there be healed of his disfigurement.” Byrak looked at Reiko. “And if you are successful?” he demanded. “What then?” “I mean to find a man who may be able to help me defeat Chaos,” said Reiko simply. Khelavaster was much more than that, but to explain what the ancient sage meant to him, especially to an orc armed with a staff as well as magic, and ready to use both on Reiko at the slightest provocation, would have taken much more time than Reiko had. Byrak suddenly lowered his staff and turned to the orcs. By now, the wounded ones had picked themselves off the floor, and the healthy ones were uneasily fingering weapons. “You were engaged in a great battle here,” said Byrak in a commanding voice. “You fought well, but the humans were too powerful for you.” A few of the more dim-witted orcs blinked in confusion, but the rest understood what Byrak wanted. “I was killed in battle,” Byrak said, “and you were forced into a… tactical retreat.” The orcs grunted in surprise; Byrak leveled his staff at them. “Go now, and tell the leaders what happened. But go slowly,” Byrak commanded. Byrak’s troops were still confused, but they were more than a little afraid of Byrak’s magic. They were trained to obey, and they did, heading back down the tunnel. Byrak turned to the stunned party. “I am going with you,” he said. Die Gedanken sind Frei |
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Gordismo Registered user False God Last page view: 7680 days, 9 hours, 47 minutes and 26 seconds ago. |
The chaos brother stood, with a spear in his hand. Blood was dripping from the tip, and at the brother's feet, lied a body of an orcish priest, once powerful, but no more. I stared in horror of the dead priest, my father. It was the first time I glimpsed at the horror of Chaos, the first time I felt so much hate and fear. The chaos brother looked at my direction. He has found me, and I will die just as my father had, in the hands of Chaos. It was nighttime as Byrak wandered, trying to shake away these memories. He prefered not to be near his new found companions at such a moment of weakness, and so, with each step, he was farther away from the place they camped and closer to the darkness of the wilderness. The priest looked back at the camp, and Jarod waved at him. Byrak turned his gaze away and continued to walk. Why had he been so willing to join those invaders? “I mean to find a man who may be able to help me defeat Chaos,” the human named Reiko had said. That had struck him, defeat Chaos? Chaos is everywhere, you can't defeat Chaos. But still, there might be a way; these companions of his might be able to do something. It was better then staying where he was, waiting for Chaos to corrupt and kill them all. A uproar of laughter interrupted his thoughts. Everyone was sitting around a campfire, cooking a bear they had killed earlier today. All of them was laughing, all of them with the exception of Callista. She wasn’t looking at Byrack, but he knew that she was closely watching him. “You’re not joining us,” Callista said, “How would I know you wouldn’t kill us the moment our backs are turned?” She kept her crossbow aimed at my head, but I wasn’t afraid, I have been through many battles, dodging one quarrel would be easy enough, and Catherine was ready just in case. “Chaos had turned us orcs against each other, it have ruined us, and kept us down, and for that, I would inflict pain and fear a hundred times more than they have brought upon us.” I half lied, it was true that some of the orcs has left the tribe, and later came back to attack as corrupted beings, but that wasn’t the reason I wanted to join, “I would more gladly rid us of Chaos, if it meant joining with you.” Callista didn’t seem convinced, but before she could say anything, Reiko walked up with hands out, and said, “Then welcome to the party, we could use more allies, orc or not.” “Yes, a priest would be a nice addition,” said a voice, it belonged to that dark elf, who seemed fine now, probably due to the magic of the healer. I looked at Callista, she seemed shock, but she didn’t say a word after that. From the moment Byrak had joined, Callista has been ever watchful and supicious. Let her be, Byrak thought, it is suspicions and ferocity that survives, not laughter. The preist was so intent on his thoughts that he didn’t notice a shadow trailing him. "The past is a ghost that haunts you from the moment it exists until the moment you don't" [Edited 5 times, last edit on 5/17/2003 at 16:45 (GMT -5) by Gordismo] |
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Iridia Registered user YASD Last page view: 3966 days, 8 hours, 44 minutes and 19 seconds ago. |
Byrak would have thought Callista had decided to kill him after all, and had betrayed herself by allowing firelight to reflect from the crossbow bolt which she had quietly fitted into her weapon. But, as suddenly as Byrak noticed the glint of light reflected from metal, he also noticed that Callista was not looking at him, but past him. Instinctively, Byrak dove to the side, rolled, and came up with his staff in front of him. Where his torso had been, a spear cut the air, thudding into the ground barely three feet from the campfire. The same instant, a crossbow quarrel swished past his ear and thunked into something solid. Someone screamed, a gurgling sound that told Byrak that the injury would prove fatal to the orc who had received it. More shadowy forms materialized out of the night, and Byrak wasted no time in retreating to the campfire, where his attackers would have a harder time surrounding him. The orcs advanced, roaring battle-cries now that their surprise had been spoiled. As the light of the fire fell on their faces, Byrak was not surprised to notice that, leading the group (from the rear, as most orcish leaders did), was his brother, captain, and rival, Balak. Someone, thought Byrak, must have told his brother the true story; that, or had been forced to tell under torture. Either way, Byrak knew, his brother would show him no mercy. Callista calmly felled two orcs before the attackers arrived, then drew her long dagger. Byrak ran through his mental list of memorized spells; Laenril and Reiko stood side-by-side, ready to defend each other if necessary. And then the battle began... Die Gedanken sind Frei |
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Lamaros Registered user The sieve Last page view: 7379 days, 11 hours, 9 minutes and 4 seconds ago. |
Balak screamed out, cursing Byrak for his actions and winding the gathered orcs into a furious rage. Laenril opened her mouth to speak but was cut short as a spear flew out at her from the gathered orcs. She dodged to the side while the leader shouted again. "Orcs now listen only to Balak. Not toys for your games. You will be sacrifice for intruding. Others die." He opened his mouth into a grin, "Byrak eaten." With his last word 10 spears launched themselves at the small group. Callista and Laenril moved immediately to the side, dispersing the group so as to not present such a large target. Byrak stepped back and shouted in rage, letting loose his prepared spell. A bolt of fire flew from him, turning half the spears to ash. At the sound of Byrak's spell Callista took a quick glance towards the fire. Five spears arrowed straight through the air at Reiko. As she watched she saw him flick the button and Nightmare's blade flashed out, rippling with reflected flame. As he stepped forward towards the spears his staff begun to move, a blur in the dim light. Confident he was ok for the moment she returned her gaze to the oncoming orcs. She caught the eye of Laenril opposite her and nodded quickly. They flung themselves into the melee, whip and dagger flying... |
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Ryan Klein Registered user Because I said so is why! Last page view: 1865 days, 13 hours, 49 minutes and 12 seconds ago. |
Reiko grounded the flying spears with ease and beckoned the orcs to come at him. His gesture was met with angered howls of rage as 3 orcs came at him with death in their eyes. With a thrust and a pull up, the first orc was disembowled, he turned and slashed the second orc's throat and with a palm strike, dropped the third orc. "All too easy" he thought as he looked over to see what Laenril and Callista had in mind. "The freakish one is a good fighter" thought Byrak while shooting energy missles at his once bretheren. "HO CATHERINE! COMING AWAY RIGHT!" Byrak yelled as his tiger ripped through orc after orc in a bloodrage. Most of the orcs were dead or dying. Byrak turned to Balak... |
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Iridia Registered user YASD Last page view: 3966 days, 8 hours, 44 minutes and 19 seconds ago. |
Byrak's brother, who had been keeping out of the fight until now, caught sight of him and leveled his wickedly barbed spear. Byrak managed to catch the spear on his staff and turn it aside, but Balak, always the better fighter of the two, caught Byrak across his knees with the butt end of the spear. Byrak had to get his balance before he could begin calling the words of a magic missile spell to his mind. Byrak had blocked two more spear-thrusts and connected once with the staff when he finally completed the spell; small balls of fire flew from the tips of his outstretched fingers. Balak dodged, and only one of the missiles hit him, burning a scar into his forehead. The air reeked of burnt orc. Balak, too angry to feel much pain from Byrak's spell, immediately took advantage of the fact that Byrak had had to take one hand from his staff to cast it. His spear penetrated Byrak's defenses, slashed through his armor, and sank into his midsection. Byrak had just started to jump back when he saw Balak's spear headed for him, so the weapon did not, as intended, impale him completely. Still, they both knew it was a dangerous wound--probably deadly. Byrak struggled doggedly back through the haze of pain and focused on his spells again while Balak roared in victory, pulling his spear back for the final blow. Catherine had finished dispatching the rest of the orcs and now turned her attention to her master's battle. She was enraged enough from her slaughter of the orcs; now that she saw Balak's spear wounding Byrak, her anger was ten times what it had been. Byrak's spell hit Balak full in the chest, and while he was still stunned, Catherine sprang onto his back, claws sinking through his armor and tearing his flesh. There Catherine stayed, her great weight throwing Balak down and pinning the stunned orc to the ground. The spear flew out of Balak's hands and cartwheeled through the air, spraying an arc of blood-droplets, landing out of the reach of its owner. Drawing his dagger, Byrak staggered toward his brother. Die Gedanken sind Frei [Edited 8 times, last edit on 8/25/2003 at 00:03 (GMT -5) by Iridia] |
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Iridia Registered user YASD Last page view: 3966 days, 8 hours, 44 minutes and 19 seconds ago. |
For the first time, Byrak saw true fear on the usually grim and proud face of his brother. No... not for the first time. The first time, Balak had been staring up at the ever-changing face of a chaos creature... Shaking off the memory, Byrak sheathed the dagger and brandished the staff instead. He stood over his brother, still pinned to the ground by a raging Catherine. The tiger turned her gaze on Byrak, asking permission to do what she wanted to do most at this moment: tearing the throat out of this little creature who had tried to kill Byrak. "No, Catherine. Not yet," said Byrak. "Well? What are you waiting for?" spat his brother. "You're bent on ruining our tribe; you might as well finish the job." "No. I'm not. What I am doing is for the good of the tribe. But--" he raised the staff-- "you'll never understand that, I think." The staff flashed through the air and hit Balak solidly on the top of his head; the orc groaned, and his eyelids fluttered closed. With that, Byrak collapsed next to his brother, the pain and loss of blood finally stealing his consciousness. While Jharod muttered healing spells over Byrak, Callista bound Balak's hands and feet securely. No one had suffered any serious injury, though Reiko found himself unexpectedly much more tired than the fighting accounted for. Catherine padded silent circles around Jharod and Byrak, her eyes conveying a silent message: I know you are trying to help my master, but if you hurt him, I will be forced to hurt you. Presently Byrak was feeling better; the spear wound had closed, and though both he and Jharod were tired, they pronounced themselves ready for travel. They tied Balak to a nearby tree. "Our people will find him," said Byrak. "If there are any left," said Reiko. "There are probably some left," replied Byrak. He didn't seem too sorry; an orc's life was harsh, and strength a virtue prized above all others. The weak died; the strong survived. That was why the orcs were so strong: They had no pity for weaklings Callista said, and the others agreed, that they didn't want another encounter with whatever remained of Balak's tribe; so they packed up their belongings, searched the orcs' bodies (nothing more of value than a little gold, and Balak's spear, which Byrak insisted on leaving with his brother), and traveled the rest of the night. Die Gedanken sind Frei [Edited 1 time, last edit on 10/27/2003 at 01:22 (GMT -5) by Iridia] |
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