Tension in the Party

Why don't we just break in and take the rod?" asked Jue.

"No, that is no way to act." answered Plain-Walker.

"Oh? How so?"

"Please don't get nasty, our task does not leave room for petty bickering."

After this, Gem left the camp, uninterested in listening to them bicker, she decided to practice her blade skills.

_______________________

When she got back to the camp, Jue and Plain-Walker were settling their dispute in the form of a duel.

Jue appeared to be a very balanced fighter, striking, blocking, counter striking, stabbing, striking, whereas Plain-Walker was geared towards the defensive, parrying, blocking, dodging, striking, missing, dodging, blocking, parrying.

Eventually, Jue was able to get Plain-Walker on his knees. She had a wild look in her eyes, and Gem worried that she might hurt Plain-Walker.

Then, in a sudden burst of skill, Gem knocked the blades out of both of the fighter's hands.

"How about we simply ask for the rod?"

Notice!

Greetings, dear readers! I am here today to tell you, my faithful readers, that I will now be posting one chapter per month.

Farewell, dear readers!

Artists and Undead

Jue and Plain-Walker were pooling over a map, and discovered that they were on the same shore as the man they were seeking out, an artist by the name of Vlat Hogmen, well known for his fish, pixy sprites, and nymph artwork. According to Plain-Walker, he is also the guardian of blood peak, an area haunted by demons and ghosts, as well as an artifact capable of banishing the vile beings that commonly enter the land of the living in these days.

This artifact was to be collected, so that they might banish the undead Brain-Eater horde.

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Pain. Unending. Horrible pain. The wretch twitched, slowly returning from the void which it had been pulled from. It could feel it's soul slowly, painfully being devoured. Destroyed.

In a sudden lurch, Void-Wind's blood-drained body became the undead host of a dream-flayer.

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Life, Death, and Yellow Fish.

Void-Wind was in a strange place.

He was floating in nothingness… A barrier between two realms. At his right, a beautiful city, built out of living gemstones. At his left, a burning pit of darkness, boiling blood filling it's caverns, agonized wailing coming out of it like prying hands.

He was then pulled towards the city, and a feeling of peace came upon him. As he was about to enter into the city, a horrible shriek was let out.

He was being pulled away from the city, back to his original position, between the two places.

He began to fall……

_______________________________________________

Gem awoke to the sound of water, hurling itself at the shore. Confused, she looked around for a few minutes, and then remembered where she was.

They had built a raft, and used it to ride the river coming down from Uger Zikgefet, in order to bypass the Brain-Eater hordes -who apparently could not go into the river- as well as to speed up the journey down.

After this, the trio sailed their raft along the river for three weeks, when they hit a rock, which shattered the previously strong raft, and sent Gem and her companions towards the shore.

________________________________________________

That evening, the group had built camp, and had a dinner of Yoliyggr*, after which, they set up guard, and went to sleep.

*(Yaw-lee-grr) a fish with yellow scales, it's flesh is considered to be very tasty by the people of Kove.

Notice!

Greetings, dear readers! We at Pondering Maundering Inc. are sad to announce that we are in a slow-mo mode, as we are having.... Maintenance problems*...... We are working on fixing these problems, and will be back on schedule as soon as we have worked them out.

Until then, dear reads!

*See: Sick With a Cold.

A Monster's Thoughts.

It was angry. Very angry. In fact, it was so very angry, that it did not participate in the eating of a clan of nomads that had made their way into the jaws of the Brain-Eaters.

It was very angry, for the 'Vekkog, the Huntress, and the Girl had escaped on the river.

That made it angry. Very angry indeed.

So little time for games.

So little time for letting Tri servants wander around freely, hunting for relics. Hunting for useless toys in a vain attempt to save the mortal plain from the onslaught of it's army.

The Uan Ill had found the means of their destruction anyway. The Wizard had given it the perfect tool.

"Srinc te trionaian ere. E eill berve ab te arsincer of doou!"

Part IV: The Painter and the Sword of Petlex

End Part III: The Desert of Blight.

Begin Part IV: The Painter and the Sword of Petlex.

He woke up, and found himself face to face with Plain-Walker.

“Ulain?!” Said Birch. “What are you doing here?”

“I am here to remind you of your task.”

“Ah”

“Take Lux to the place of the sun. Today.”

“Lux?”

“Yes. Lux is the correct elf for the task.”

“But-”

“This is the word of the Tri, Birch. Do not think to oppose the will of Uger.”

Plain-Walker Vanished.

“Bother!” Said Birch.

(End of part III)

A Continuation

That night, the new leaders of Jonak and Inja met to discuss the future of both of their tribes. They created a treaty, and made new laws.

Later, the people of both Inja and Jonak came together to pay their respects to the dead Chieftains of both tribes, who had killed each other in the battle.

A Blighted-One funeral is not like the funerals of humans, with whom a funeral is a very sad thing. A Blighted-One funeral is more of a celebration of the dead's life, his achievements, and his glorious death.

The funeral was separated into events. One was an act depicting the lives of Void-Wind and of the Warlock, One where the Blight-Elves sang songs of their deeds, Several where warriors battled for honor, a great hunt, some feasting, more singing, children dancing, and heartfelt words.

The new Chiefs, Lotus-Blight of Inja, and Sorrow-Field of Jonak, gave speeches, and the Celebrations ceased. A new era in the desert had begun.