A Short Conversation

About three days after the Blighted-Ones left the burial grounds, they found themselves at the border of the nation Relbun, the largest human nation in the world, and the strongest.

"Relbun has attacked our people!" one of the Blighted-Ones shrieked. "We shall rip them apart in battle, and remind them that the desert is ours!" His companions howled their agreement. They charged forward, as a raging sea of bodies.

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"What do you think, Wizard?" Solar-Light asked, as they walked through the hills of Relbun.

"Hm?"

"Do you think it was Relbun?" Solar-Light continued. "Or do you think it was your 'devils', who slaughtered Inja?"

Birch, about to respond, stepped on a sharp pebble and stopped, cursing under his breath. Solar-Light looked back, picked up his friend, and did not slow the pace.

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It was starving. The Brain-Eaters had come to a standstill at the Wall of Kreil, the city of Korve's first line of defense. From atop the wall, Relbun archers fired at the Brain-Eaters, but their arrows merely stuck within the bodies of the Brain-Eaters, and did not faze them even a little, but the wall was so smooth, and so tall, that the Brain-Eaters could not scale it.

But it needed to feed…

Grave News

Solar-Light was growing impatient, for his messengers had so far failed to return with news of the Injas.

"You must be patient." counseled Birch. "The Inja Tribe does not settle in one place for long, they might be hard to find."

Solar-Light grumbled. "Yes, but it is still frustrating."

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Two days later, the messenger returned with grave news.

"L-Lord Sol-la-lar-Light" He stammered. "Th-they are-are dead! All d-dead! At t-the bur-ial grounds! All dead!"

"What?" growled Solar-Light "Tell me what happened, Craw!"

"It is as I said!" exclaimed Craw "The entirety of Camp Inja has been destroyed, and everyone, warriors and children alike, are dead, as far as I can tell!"

Silence.

Solar-Light crouched, and asked "How?"

Craw swallowed, and replied with more control. "They appear to have been devoured-ed, king. They were torn apart, and stripped of… Of flesh…"

"So Inja is destroyed."

"It would seem so, Lord Solar-Light-light… Although, there was a inconsistency with our knowledge of Inja's numbers…"

"How large?"

"About thirty heads, Lord Solar-Light."

"Stop calling me that."

"Then what do you want me to call you?"

"Solar-Light would be fine."

"Yes, Solar-Light."

"Now then, you said there were thirty heads missing?"

"Yes."

"That many bodies as well?"

"Yes."

"Then whoever attacked them took prisoners. I want to track the attackers down, take back the Injas, and avenge the death of our brothers! Craw, spread the news, Jonak's warriors will be going to battle!"

"Yes, Solar-Light!"

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The entire Blight-Elf war host was gathered, ready to march, with Solar-Light at it's head, and Birch by his side.

They stayed at the camp until nightfall, and then went to the burial grounds of Inja and Jonak, and followed their enemy's trail.

The Siege of Laxland

The horde was ready for a meal. The Dream-Flayers had amassed, and the Brain-Eaters clawed at each other in their mindless need.

They had come upon the nation Relbun, the largest, and last, human controlled region in the world, all others had been destroyed by the Brain-Eaters. Within it, they had already attacked the towns of Ewe, Weepingshire, Oakholme, and Angorhall. They were now moments away from the attack of Laxland, and it was ready to fead.

The Uan Ill gave the order, and the Brain-Eaters began their assault.

It could smell fear before it had even began it's fight, and it turned that wondrous smell into death with one strike from it's fiery limb.

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The commander of the guard, Richard, saw the Brain-Eaters as they charged down from the foothills, and sounded the alarm, sending the people into a panicked run. As the first Brain-Eaters climbed the walls, Richard and his men stabbed at them, to no effect, and then the demons were upon them.

Richard fought harder then he had ever fought, slice, dodge, stab, side step-swing-block-kick-slice-dodge-stab, but to no avail. Richard was overrun by the Brain-Eaters, and finnally, several grabbed ahold of him, and began to feed.

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His eyes began to darken, and he felt light. He was aware of being lifted up, and then he saw two worlds, one, a city of gemstones and crystal, the other, a cave of pure darkness and terror. Out of the cavern, a serpentine creature with wings appeared, as well as many other strange, horrid things. As he watched, the serpentine thing flew toward him, and let out a shriek of pure malice.

Richard began to scream, and the serpent-thing entered his mouth, and latched onto his soul.

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Richard's body got up, and joined in the feeding.

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Laxland fell to the Brain-Eaters, and their numbers increased by a quarter.

Bounty-Hunting-Demon-Slaying Drug

After Jue left, Gem was moved to a dwarven sanitarium, which was run by an old dwarf named Pus, who was short, even by dwarf standards. After Gem was moved in, Plain-Walker spent most of his time watching her, talking to Pus, and telling Kor about the Brain-Eater hordes. Kor was busy training his boys to fight, and protect the mountain, as he did before Gem, Jue, and Plain-Walker showed up.

One day, during training, a young Dwarf, named Kus, asked Kor about the group of travelers.

"Wha' es e', lad?" asked Kor.

"Will, ser… E was woondireng, wha* ari 'hoosi Humans, 'ha' ya foough' bisedi, agaens' 'hi dimoon? Hoow da ya knoow 'him?" asked Kus.

Kor thought about what to say for a little bit, before speaking.

"Will, lad, 'hi fers' 'emi E mi' 'hi le'li gerl was whin Dirus win' and drooppid a' 'hi segh' oof Gim, 'hi waman we'h 'hi wiapoons."

"E usid 'a bi a par' oof a grap oof booun'y hun'irs we'h hir, back whin us Dwarvis s'ell madi coon'ac' we'h 'hi Humans, and 'hi Ilvis, and all 'ha' loo'.

"Ooni day, 'hoosi cria'uris 'ha' 'hi Humans call 'Braen-Ia'irs', oor somi'heng leki 'ha', s'ar'id 'a poop up all oovir 'hi placi, soo a bunch oof crabby oold magec weildirs win' up a mooun'aen and 'alkid 'a soomi gean' soor' callid Ugir, wha* sin' doown ooni hes sooldeirs 'a heri us 'a kill 'hi wholi loo' oof dimoons."

"Wi ded 'ha', and coollic'id ari la', and win' oon ari way. All ixcip' Gim, wha* had spawnid an addec'eoon 'a moons'ir hun'eng, and dicedid shi wad ra'hir woork foor Ugir foor enfene'y, 'hin si'li doown, coon'in' we'h 'hi rechis wi had iarnid."

Kor stopped talking, and appeared to be in deep thought, when Kus spoke again.

"And 'hi man?"

Kor looked at Kus. "Ooh, yis, 'hi man…"

"…'Hi man es 'hi Vikkoog wha* coon'ac'id us, and en'rooducid Gim 'a 'ha' accursid drug oof dimoon hun'eng."

Kus was weary of his teacher's temper, and left Kor alone with his thoughts.

When Kus was out of sight, Kor cried.

*In case you're wondering, that's a who, not a what. Pronounce it "huh".

Chapter No-Name I

Plain-Walker stood up from his position by the Brain-Eater.

"The Soul-Flayer has not given up the body, it is a powerful demon." reported Plain-Walker

"Will, 'hin why doon' ya jus' play we'h hooly magec, and banesh 'hi cursid 'heng, leki ya VIKKOOG saen's ari suppoosid 'a?" roared Kor.

"You know I can't do that anymore"

"Ooh, soo 'hi gria' ULAEN IALAR can noo' da 'hi oni 'heng hi was IVAR GAD FOOR, ih?"

"Watch your tongue!"

"Enough!" growled Jue "We are all upset that we let the creature hurt Gem, but that does NOT mean you get to act like babies fighting over a toy!"

Both men shut their mouths.

"Now…" Began Jue "Gem is unconscious, and will be scarred for life, but she is alive, and needs to be cared for. You two are going to stay here, and watch over her during her healing. I will go to Blood Peak, and collect the artifact."

Plain-Walker looked at Gem, and then back at Jue. "She is my responsibility, I will do as you suggest."

"Good."

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And so it was, that Plain-Walker and Kor stayed with Gem, while Jue went to Blood Peak, on a quest for an artifact of unknown power.

The Predator and the Prey

The party was left alone in the place where Kor and Jue had destroyed the warlock circle, a likely place for the demon to go. While they waited in the blood-soaked room, Gem puked, sickened by the gory mess.

"This is horrible, there is so much…" she puked again.

"Yes" said Plain-Walker.

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They waited there for five hours, before Void-Wind came.

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The creature crept in, sneaking past the dwarves, such succulent things, but it must have it's prey…

It entered the chamber where it's prey waited, and quickened it's pace.

It could hear her heart beat now, could smell here vomit, could see her twin souls!

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The Brain-Eater jumped from the shadows in the room's corner, tearing the floor apart as it charged them on all-fours.

It was different from any other Brain-Eater they had ever seen, with long, dark hair, and a body that appeared whole, save for a few scars, it's hands were like iron claws, as were it's feet, and it's eyes were not the eyes of a mindless evil. In fact, the only sign it was a demon, was that it's body was as pale as a corpse, and it had an aura of insanity about it that would scare anyone who was not accustomed to it.

The demon was about five feet from them, when it leaped over Jue, and Plain-Walker, and landed on Gem.

It began to dig at her flesh with it's claws, and bit at her with it's fanged jaws, ignoring the blows landed upon it's back by the three warrior's weapons, as if they were nothing but ants, little pests whose bite could be ignored, even by humans.

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It had her!

It tore at her flesh, cutting deep into it's prey.

It was almost over…

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In a strike of pure chance, Jue hit a scar on the Brain-Eater's side, and the demon shrieked in pain.

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As pain flooded it's senses, it dug it dug it's claws into it's prey, and fainted...

Sket and the People

While Solar-Light was fighting for rulership of Jonak, Gem and company were busy rallying the dwarven people against the Brain-Eater hordes.

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Following the slaughter of the dwarf barons, Kor showed the dwarves the warlock circle, and told them about the Brain-Eater threat that could be approaching even now.

"Hoow en 'hi undirwoorld ari wi suppoosid 'a bileivi ya?" said a woman named Sket, who was looked up to by the majority of the population. "E mian, ya jus' kellid oour in'eri goovirnmin'al boody, and 'hin 'ill us 'ha' 'hiy wiri sirveng dimoons, bu' ya havi noo praf, savi 'hes warloock cercli, and foor all wi knoow, ya coould havi foorgid 'ha', oor woorsi, bin useng e' yarsilf, and kellid 'hi' baroons 'a coovir up yar oown envoolvimin' we'h dimoons!" Many proclaimed their agreement.

"Will…" Kor began "E rially ded noo' 'henk 'ha' ya woould jus' 'hroow oou' all 'hi ivedinci 'ha' wi havi. Jus' lak a' e'! A warloock cercli es usiliss we'hoou' siviral warloocks, and 'hi humans havi oonly bin hiri a day! 'Hi ivedinci cliarly shoows 'ha' 'hi baroons wiri coonsoor'eng we'h dimoons! 'hiri es nix' 'a noo way wi coould havi bin 'hi oonis coonsoor'eng we'h dimoons!

The people murmured, their voices unclear.

They stopped talking, and Sket began.

"Ivan 'hoough yar ivedinci es, shall wi say, bicoomeng sa'esfac'oory 'a 'hi pioopli…"

she paused.

"'Hi fac' s'ell rimaens 'ha' e' es noo' praf."

"Wha', pray 'ill, dois a dwarf havi 'a da 'a pravi hemsilf aroound hiri?" Exclaimed Kor.

"E suggis' wi usi yar suppoosid sir's 'driam' 'a pravi oor despravi yar tali."

"Wha' da ya mian by 'ha'?"

"Why Kor, Doon' ya knoow, ya saed 'hiris gooeng 'a bi a dimoon hiri, 'anegh'.

Solar-Light

That night, the fifth challenge took place.

Sorrow-Field had chosen for the final challenge to be a sword dual, with Lux wielding the Sun Blade. Many believed Lux would fight Ves, the son of Void-Wind.

The challenger walked into the ring of spectators. But the challenger was not Ves.

The Blight-Elf who stepped into the ring was none other then Sorrow-Field himself, wielding a katana.

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Lux could feel… Something. It was not the instinct of the dance, as he had felt many times before. It was lighter, sharper, quicker.

He saw Sorrow-Field, felt the earth move as the chief walked forward, sword raised.

He swung! The sound of sword-striking-sword filled the air! Lux felt exhilaration, felt not the battle lust of his people, but the joy of elves in the forest!

Sorrow-Field swung with the speed of a master. But Lux moved faster, blocking, dodging, parrying, and slashing.

Lux felt the tribes-people watching, cheering, jeering, and singing.

He knocked the katana out of Sorrow-Field's hands, and grabbed it.

He swung both blades, and stopped them two and one quarter inches from

Sorrow-Field's head, as was tradition in tribal duals, to symbolize killing the opponent.

Lux had passed the fifth challenge, and had become king of Jonak.

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Lux was given the title of Chieftan, and was renamed, from Lux, to Solar-Light, in honor of Solar-Shadow.

That night, they sent a messenger to Inja to tell them of Solar-Shadow's heir.

The Third and Fourth Challenge

After Adze was taken away-to be cared for by his family- Sorrow-Field sent out the third challenger.

Sem was a master of the "Flying Hammer", a weapon similar to the flail, and the weapon to be used by both fighters in this challenge.

Sem struck the moment he stepped into the ring of spectators, pulling on the chain of his hammer, throwing his weapon forward, hitting Lux's ear, causing him to bleed in yet another place.

Lux, knocked down and bleeding, swung his weapon at Sem's legs, bringing him down, and slammed the ball of his hammer on his head, before Sem wrapped his weapon around Lux's arm, and tugged, dislocating it.

Lux, no longer able to wield his weapon, bit Sem's throat.

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Birch was allowed to care for Lux, and wrapped his wounds in a material designed by the Blighted-Ones to allow for mobility with bandages, and relocated his shoulder.

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The fourth challenge.

The fourth challenge was a "Death Dance", the form of hand-to-hand combat used by the Blighted-Ones. Lux was to fight Kol, a huntress known for taking down the biggest prey in the desert.

The dance began.

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Lux felt his heart beat. He felt his muscles relaxing. He felt his soul tingling. He felt the instinct of the dance.

He looked at the enemy, and sensed blood.

He felt his heart beat. He felt his muscles relax. He felt his soul tingling. He felt the instinct of the dance.

He jumped at his prey filled himself with it's aroma, his prey had claws. They scraped his hide.

Blood. Beat. Blood. Relax. Blood. Tingle. Blood. Dance.

His claws cut deep, and he bit into the prey's side, ingesting a mouthful of flesh.

Blood. Meat. Beat. Blood. Meat. Beat. Blood. Tingle. Sweet.

He sensed his prey falling below him, sensed the lifeblood draining.

Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood…

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Sorrow-Field had Lux taken off of Kol, before he could kill her. He knew that if Lux won the next battle, he would have no choice but to give up leadership of Jonak to Lux.

He would have to intervene…

The Second Challenge

They rested, and the next day, the second challenge began.

Lux was to battle a warrior known as Adze -a Blighted-One known amongst the Jonak and the Inja alike for his unique weapon alterations, and his prowess with them- in an axe dual. Lux had selected a pole axe, and Adze had chosen an altered war axe for himself.

The combat was held in the same place as the first challenge, and Gol's blood was still visible on the ground, brown and dry.

The dual began, and this time, Lux's challenger started the fight almost instantly, getting in close, he struck at Lux's bruises, ripping them out of Lux's body with his strange war axe. Lux started to bleed.

Lux blocked Adze's strike with the haft of his axe, and struck Adze's shoulder, cutting deep.

But Adze merely switched the hand he held his axe in, and ripped open a part of Lux's arm. Lux pushed Adze back and jumped out of the Warriors range, and when Adze attempted to get close again, Lux tripped him with the blade of his axe.

Adze swung his weapon, and Lux blocked him, and then knocked the blade out of Adze own hands, Lux then planted his axe beside Adze's head.

The second challenge was won.

The First Challenge

Lux trained for seven days, and then the challenge began.

Lux was to battle five of Jonak's greatest warriors, so that Sorrow-Field could be sure that Lux was the heir of Solar-Shadow, the ancient king of the elves.

"This is not how this was supposed to happen! Lux, back down, we can go to Highaven, gain their loyalty, and then we can come back here, and gain the Blighted-One's affiliation some other way!" Said Birch.

But Lux would not back down. "Wizard! Can you not see that this is the only way? My people are a violent people, either I will win their loyalty in battle, or I will not win their loyalty at all! It is the only way."

They were quiet for a moment, and then Birch spoke. "Ah… Very well. But do not lose this, or all is lost!"

"Of course, Wizard."

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The first challenge was held in the camp's main clearing, beneath a tree.

It was a polearm fight, and so Lux used his Trident.

His opponent, Gol, was a small, quick moving hunter, and had chosen to use the quarterstaff in battle.

They began to circle each other, watching for movements. The first move was taken by Lux, jabbing his trident at Gol's heart. But Gol was quick, and dodged the attack, following with a flurry of strikes, landing almost all of them on the bigger, slower warrior.

Lux, now heavily bruised, was given an opportunity to strike soon after that, and took the chance to impale the hunter's leg, staking him to the ground with his trident, before beating the Gol half to death with the hunter's own weapon.

This is how Lux won the first challenge.

Sorrow-Field

While those things occurred in the Black Crown, Birch and Lux returned to the desert, and began working to combine the two tribes of Blighted-Ones.

They were welcomed back to Camp Jonak first by the children and their mothers. Lux picked up one of the boys and kissed him on the cheek, and carried him to the center of the camp.

The warriors of Jonak were training, and the hunters were preparing a meal. Some young men were attempting to swoon a group of females their age, with varying degrees of success.

Sorrow-Field, Jonak's new leader, came out to greet them. He said hello, and proceeded to look at Lux's new sword with the interest of a man who had known blades his entire life, and had just seen the work of the greatest swordsmiths in history(which he indeed had).

"A fine blade, Lux! Tell me, is this why Birch took you from us? You are a lucky man, friend!"

Lux answered. "Yes, I am indeed, but the sword is only part of why Birch took me out of the desert."

"Oh?"

Lux continued. "Birch was sent to locate the heir to the throne of the sun, the king of the Elves. His master, the Tri, showed him me! This is the sword of Petlex, son of Uger!"

But Sorrow-Field laughed. "You? King of the elves? We have been cut off from our cousins for generations, why, the sight of us would likely make them flee for the bushes of their paradise!"

Lux countered. "Ah, but our stories show that the king was amongst those to be trapped here with the plague. I am his heir, this blade is proof enough, look at the hilt!"

So Sorrow-Field looked at the hilt, which was inscribed with a rune of magic designed to protect it from all but it's owner's hands. It was a rune used by the great Solar-Shadow, who ruled Injanok, capital of the elves before the plague.

But Sorrow-Field was a man torn between religion, and politics, and wanted the power he held as chief of the Jonak Tribe, so, instead of embracing the king, as was the traditional greeting to give Elf-Kings, he suggested a challenge, to prove that the blade was a true relic of Solar-Shadow.

Birch cried out, but Lux agreed.

End Book IV: The Painter and the Sword of Petlex.

Begin Book V: The Crusader Army

The Songs of Bloodthirst

The two warriors, one tall, and one short, one with an axe, one with ñågå in both hands, entered the home of Uredi, leader of the council. They entered with weapons high, singing a song about old wars. They charged the dwarf, and their blood lust overcame them.

They chopped and slashed, smashed and thrashed, and all throughout, they sang. "Death and blunder, victory and plunder! Golden powder, gory shower! We shall slay, till we fall under!"

When they had completed the destruction of Uredi, they took the rod, and killed the other barons in much the same fashion.

"Shadow yonder, I do ponder. Is it death, is it somber? I shall go, slash, cut, and stomp, so the TRI need not!"

They sang these songs because their age had returned, the age of glory, honor, and death.

They sang, for the unholy hordes had forced the world into the age of crusades, an age once ended in the pyrrhic battle for Black Crown.

"Song of death, song of LIGHT! Let us sing thee, all through the NIGHT! Conquer, Defeat, Victory in war! The time of peace, is no more! We shall awake, from secret slumber, to kill the killer, the chiller, the storm!"

"All shall fall, before our feet, gashes in their heads! Death will be death, unlife no more!"

They sang this way, drunk on blood, until they lay unconscious on the ground, blood surrounding them, and covering them. The council had been turned into red pulp.

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It could feel it. It had found it's prey. It could already taste the flesh, the sweet, sweet flesh. In a matter of hours, the creature would have it's fill of blood, of souls…

The Warlock Circle

Gem had a dream.

She saw Uredi, with raw, red skin, pupil-less eyes, and bull horns.

She saw Crid, the size of a flying insect, with giant eyes and wings.

She saw Lub, bound to livestock and a snake.

She saw a serpent with the face of Iny.

She saw Claoony, much the way she saw Crid.

She saw Ira, with the flesh of Uredi, and goat horns.

She saw Blo, sleeping, and looking like Uredi, with ram horns.

They stood in a circle, surrounding a metal rod.

They began to chant, and the rod glowed red, and an image of the Leviathan appeared.

"I see that you have the item. You have done well. My courier will be in your chambers at sundown tomorrow. You will give the rod to him."

Uredi spoke. "Oof cooursi, gria' ooni. Wi well da 'hes." He snorted.

The dream ended.

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"Plain-Walker!"

Gem shook the man awake, and then woke Jue.

Plain-Walker queried. "What is it, Gem?"

"I had a vision!"

"Of what?"

"The council of dwarves."

"What about them, Gem?"

"They had a rod, and spoke to a great sea-beast."

"A sea-beast? What were the talking about, Gem?"

" The beast told them to give a rod they had to a "courier" who would take it to the beast."

"Anything else?"

"Well… The dwarves looked like demons…"

Jue spoke. "So, the ogurrs didn't take the rod, the dwarves did…"

Gem spoke. "What do we do now?"

Jue responded. "We take the rod before the courier gets here."

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Jue and Kor snuck through the halls.

"Soo, Madam, Wha' es soo empoor'in', 'ha' ya cadn't wae' 'ell moorneng 'a 'ill mi?"

"To show you, Kor, I want you to see it for yourself."

"Bah! Yar such a sicri'evi pirsoon, ya knoow 'ha'? E's always ac'eoon we'h ya, viry rarily da ya 'alk!"

"True."

"Bah!"

They came upon the council chambers, and looked through a window, and saw before them a sight not seen for several millennia. They came upon a warlock circle.

Kor was furious. "My own liadirs, silleng 'hir soouls 'a dimoons?! 'His es a desgraci 'a my pioopli!"

He went in, and cut out slabs of earth where the circle had been made, and destroyed the circle.

"Coomi we'h mi, Madam, wi shall kell 'hi whooli loo' oof 'him!"

Jue smiled at the dwarf's readiness to take out the warlocks, for it was an emotion which she knew, and embraced, and she had a master that honored her interests.

"Of course."

"Grand!"

The Chamber of the Barons

The group went into the Chamber of the Barons.

There were seven old dwarves, sitting in a line, on stone thrones.

The one on the far left was the biggest, with a body looking to be comprised entirely of muscle, and his face looked like the face of a man who would attack you if you made the slightest wrong move.

The dwarf second to the left was adorned in a fine silk tunic, silk pants, wore a gold crown, a silver necklace, and a bronze ring.

The dwarf third to the left was the oldest dwarf in the room, and was sound asleep.

The dwarf in the middle was the tallest dwarf, with the tallest chair, the longest beard, and the hardest skin of all the barons, he appeared to be the head baron.

The dwarf furthest to the right was surround by dwarven women, and had a flask of wine in his left hand.

The dwarf second to the right was the shortest dwarf, with the smallest chair, no beard, and the softest skin of all the barons, he looked at the dwarves to either side of him, and looked sad.

The dwarf third to the right was the fattest dwarf, and had a plate of meat on his lap, and a jug of beer in his hand.

The middle dwarf spoke. "Wha', pray 'ill, da ya wan'? Spiak queckly, and spiak frankly, foor wi da noot 'aki kendly 'a noonsinsi."

Jue replied. "Of course, sirs, but you will, of course, exchange greetings before continuing to business, after all, it is custom."

The dwarf to the far left stood up, with an angry look on his face, but the middle dwarf gestured for him to sit down. He then spoke again.

"Ah, E suppoosi 'ha' yar regh', soo li's gi' e' dooni. Yar namis?"

Jue spoke. "My name is Jue, the girl is Gem, and the man is Plain-Walker. Your names?"

The angry dwarf stood. "Ira."

The dwarf beside him stood. "Crid."

The old dwarf was still asleep, so the middle dwarf stood. "'Hi slipir es Blo, and E'm Uredi."

The dwarf with food stood. "Claoony."

The short dwarf stood. "Iny."

The dwarf with the women stood. "Lub."

They all sat back down, and Uredi spoke.

"Noow, s'a'i yar buseniss."

Jue spoke "We require lodging, we will be heading up the mountain, and we need rest."

Uredi spoke. "And why shad wi gran' ya loodgeng?"

"I would never have thought that such a gracious host would need a reason to have guests. After all, the hospitality of the Barons is a thing of legend."

This effected Uredi in a way that would not affect many, and so he agreed to let them stay the night.

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That night, the group planned out their attack on the Ogurr village. Plain-Walker and Jue would strike from the main gate, and Gem would sneak in and take the rod while the Ogurrs fought at the gates.

They had dinner, and went to bed.

The Huntress and the Dwarf

Kor and Jue talked, as Kor took them to see the Council of Barons, the rulers of the dwarves.

"Soo, wha' brengs ya 'a 'hi Black Croown?"

"A hunt."

"Ah, ooff oon anoo'hir advin'uri, ari ya? Soomi 'emis E wesh E was s'ell wandireng 'hi lands oon yar hun's. E' sims as 'hoough noo'heng ivar happins aroound hiri anymoori."

"Then why don't you join us? I know I would like another fighter along with me, and more company is always nice."

Kor shook his head "Noo, E havi a da'y 'a proo'ic' 'hi Dwarvis oof 'hi Black Croown, E can noo' semply liavi 'hi place en 'hi hands oof a bunch oof yooungs'irs 'ha' faen' whin a lady knoocks oon 'hi dar, ef ya knoow wha' E mian."

"Mmmhmm…"

"Gad."

They reached the Chamber of the Barons.

"Gad luck, Madam."

"And to you, Kor.

The Black Crown

They traveled about a week , following the thief's trail around the place known simply as the Desert. There they saw many tents, but they dared not stop, lest they lose the trail. Eventually, they came upon the place Jue identified as the Black Crown.

The Black Crown was an area home to two species that had a serious distrust of Humans: the Dwarves, and the Ogurrs. It was a group of three dark mountains that formed together like a crown.

Jue snarled "The Black Crown! I should have known Ogurrs would involve themselves!" She spat on the dark soil before her. "Well, I suppose it has been awhile since I tried my hand against an Ogurr, perhaps they've gotten better." Jue turned to her companions. "But first, perhaps we should say hello the the Dwarves, eh?"

Plain-Walker agreed, so Jue took them to the entrance to the dwarves' domain, a dark hall of iron, she then knocked on the door. She knocked again. Then again. and once more. Then a short, hairy man opened the door looked a Jue, and fainted. Jue laughed, and called into the room past the door. A bigger dwarf, reaching Gem's chin, came, looked at the first Dwarf, and looked at Jue.

"Cursi e'! Ya da 'hes iviry 'emi ya coom hiri! Havi ya noo mircy, Madam? E Mian, coomi oon! 'hi lad was oon hes fers' wa'ch, and ya win' and knoockid 'hi lad uncooncioousi!"

Jue replied. "Sorry, Kor, I only knocked. Can we come in?"

"Ooh, feni, coomi oon en."

"Thank you."

"Da noo' usi 'ha' poole'i ac' oon mi, Madam, E can noo' s'and e' whin ya da 'hi poole'i ac', Madam."

Jue laughed. "Alright, Kor, I'll be myself."

"'Hank ya, Madam."

The Story of the Demons

The creature had found what it sought. A bridge, capable of granting the creature protection from the holy river. The creature hungered. It must eat. It must kill…

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After a night's rest, Gem and Plain-Walker followed after Jue, as she sought after the thief's path. after a span of fifty-some seconds, she found the trail, and they set off after the thief.

"Plain-Walker," Gem began. "What, exactly, are the Brain-Eaters?"

Plain-Walker looked at her, and replied "The shells of demons that could not enter this plane without a host. They are the remains of those unlucky enough to die before the unholy army of the demons."

"Yes, but, why are they here?"

Plain-Walker thought about this for a time, before replying.

"Gem, Demons have almost always spread death, fear, and misery for the sake of spreading death, fear, and misery. The Brain-Eater hordes kill because the

Dream-Flayers give them that drive, the Dream-Flayers give them that drive because death is what gives them life, gives them joy."

Gem processed what Plain-Walker said, and then asked another question.

"Almost always? What do you mean by that?"

Plain-Walker replied.

"At one time, demons were no different from you and me, at one time, they served good, and lived in harmony with all." Plain-Walker paused, and took a drink from his flask. "But then one day, a powerful figure in the land, the sixth lord, staged a coup d'état against the master of the lands."

"What happened to him?" asked Gem.

"He, and all his people, failed, and were banished to a plain of torture and death. There, their bodies transformed, and some became spirits. The creatures that inhabit the flesh of the Brain-Eaters is one of the kinds that became spirits."

"So, they kill for vengeance?" Gem asked.

"Once, perhaps. but they have avenged themselves a thousand times over. They kill because death is all they love."

They continued on in silence.

Prologue Part II

The party stared at the demon they had just killed a moment longer, and then began discussing their next move.

Gem, a young girl with red hair and green eyes, had been hurt during the battle with the creature, having been caught unawares. Her arm was now riddled with canine-shaped puncture holes, Jue, a women with whose features were very much related to Gem's, had bandaged Gem's arm before to much blood was lost.

Plain-Walker, a tall, silver haired man, who wore a long sword, spoke first.

"We need to find the staff."

Jue spoke up after this, "I can track whatever took the staff."

"Good."

After this, they rested for the night, and Gem had a dream…

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A dark creature, with the aura of decay surrounding it, stood before a river. The river was surrounded by sand, and bones. The creature attempted to cross, but could not. The creature turned, and walked away, intent upon locating another way across……

Book II: Prologue Part I

I must say, I am happy to be going to Sun's Song, it has many a happy memory for me. I wonder if the dryads are still there…

Ah, but I don't have time to see their festivals, even if they are still there. The Tri have given me the duty of taking the heir of the sun to the temple of the sun, Sun Blade's Rest, and have given me orders to take him there today.

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Lux and I have left the desert, and entered Sun's Song, the most beautiful territory on this side of the river…

I remember when a colleague of mine lived here, protected this place, but that time is over.

I suppose I ought to show Lux the temple…

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Birch, an old alchemist, and Lux, a Blighted-One warrior, entered the Sun Blade's Rest.

"So, this is an elven temple, eh?" Said Lux. "It's so… Elegant…"

"Yes" Birch replied.

They entered the main chamber.

It was a circular room, with paintings of white birds, and giants on the walls. The floor was mostly plain white marble, but in the center of the room, there was a sword with a golden-red hilt, with a hand guard on one side, and a silver blade with white adornments in a pedestal.

"That sword is why I brought you here" Birch said. "My lord has deemed it necessary to involve the elves in the devil-hunt."

"Then why have you brought me, a Blighted-One, here, instead of an elf?" Lux queried.

"Don't be foolish, the Blighted are just as much elves as the Elves of Hig Haven" Birch replied. "Anyway, you are the heir to that blade, and my lord's chosen champion. You will unite the Blighted-Ones and the Forest Elves, and when the time comes, you will lead them into combat with the devil hordes. My lord has ordered it."

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After that conversation, Lux took the blade, known as the Sword of Petlex, or the Sun's Sword, and the two headed back to the desert to begin uniting the elves.

Notice!

Greetings. We at Pondering Maundering Inc. are happy to announce that Pondering Maundering is back in business. We hope that you enjoy book II!

Sincerely, the Maunderer.