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It's To-Po!


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Spring finally has come to the lands. It seems to arrive later with every year, though it may just be the people's growing anxiety for the Spring Fair. The thaw has brought many ships with countless souls eager for business and adventure. The usually quiet town of Disilan was holding more people than it could. Conversations drew everywhere and loud merchants vainly attempted to peddle their goods. The only silence about in the town was the brewery, the Intoxicated Imp, for here, all's mouths were not talking, but drinking the heaviest mead in the land.

A gringy, dank place was the Intoxicated Imp, darkly lit by a few candles for the neglected windows blocked all daylight with their filth. It was here two sat at the bar. One of the two was a man in a simple blue robe with cowl over his sharp eyes. He held tankard in one hand and his traveling sack close in the other. He constantly survey the room being careful not to move his head to draw attention to himself as though he trusted no one, and he didn't. The other was a bulky dwarf clad in black wrought iron bands and a heavy horned helm. His exaggerated red beard burst forth from under his cold expressionless face. He clasp a large war flail with intricate and delicate carvings most likely impossible to be done by a human, and though it was as tall as he, the dwarf weild it as easily as if he was not. And although the two sat close together, neither took notice of the other.

Suddenly, the peace disturbed when the door broke wide with such force that some spilled their beverage. In the entrance, an elderly man with full black beard leaned against the wall, panting, tired, and worn. Stumbling through the inn, he reached for the robed man and collapsed. Slowly, he raised his face from the floor.
"Help me," he managed to plead as he grasped the robe. "You are the only one who can-"
"Halt!" cried a new voice. At the door stood six silver armored knights. "That man is a fugitive," stated the regal voiced leader while pointing his ancient sword toward the old man. Two of the knights then strapped their shields with foriegn heraldry to their backs as they seized the old man. Halfway to the exit, the robed one spoke up.
"Pardon if you would, kind men, but what right do you have to take this man?" The leader stopped, almost surprised, and slowly turned to face him.
"Who are you?" the knight queried.
"Eldrian Everstar," the mage said with a deep bow. The knight raised his shield.
"Eldrian, this is the mark of the Silver Guard, protectors of the Silver Lands. How could one venture into Disilon ignorant of that fact." He spoke as though he was superior to Eldrian.
"Was not the rule here the Obsidian Order?" The guard seemed hesitant. He turned and hastily retreated. Eldrian gives himself a quick chuckle and returnsed to the bar. The dwarf aside of him ordered a fifth round of ales.

They day continued uneventful until it ended. The night sky was empty for all but the eerie glow of moon. Eldrian had retired at the local inn, the Dream Keeper, as had the dwarf. Suddenly, a pounding was at the his door. Eldrian, hardly awake, rose from his bed, squinting at the shaking door. It gave way as a Silver Guard entered.
The dwarf stood to his feet. "What're you doing here?", questioned the dwarf. The knight only waited poised in silence with weapon drawn.
"By order of the King, give no resistance," the warrior finally replied.
"I shall do no such thing," answered Eldrian while retrieveing a slender knife from his sack. Both wielding weapons high, they charged the other.

The dwarf pushed aside the soldiers blade with his flails shaft.
"Are ye mad, lad?" asked the dwarf as he attempted to disarm his opponent. The knight gripped the shining hilt with both hand, dropping his shield to the ground with a loud clatter.

Eldrian glanced to the wall of the room next to his, wondering what he had just heard. His momentary laps of concentration allowed the guard to strike at him. Recovering his wits swiftly, Eldrian dodged the swath of the sword, but his robe was torn.
"I don't even know why the regal one wishes my death, but I will defend until it occurs," said the mage. After parrying what would have been a fatal blow, he stepped back and began to chant. "Clouds now gather in the sky above the lands; I summon lightning to my waiting hands." At that, a brilliant white surge lept forth from his hands as he lunged at the knight. The electical force easily bypassed the metal armor as it reduced the wears to little more than charred bones.

Being worn from the fight, the dwarf swung low his flail and tripped the guard. While he tried to recover the dwarf took the knight's silver sword and retreated from the room into the hall, only to run into Eldrian. After recovering their wits, Eldrian asked.
"Who are you?"
"Dravir Mountainfeller", answered he, and he in turn queried, "why are these Silver Guard after us?"
"I'm not quite sure, but-" He was cut short by the warning of a knight. He and several other silver clad warriors came from across the cornor and advanced the two. Each knowing that they could not take on such shear numbers, they fled. Once outside, Drivir thrust the short sword into the the dirt outside the entrance, blocking it from openning.
"This should stop the fiends," Drivir said. He then turned to the mage who gave no response. Looking out at the city, or what was left of it, they saw burnt houses and ash clouds filling the streets. Silver Guards dragged crying townspeople, men, women, and children alike, into the streets before they put them to their swords' point. Eldrian stood in complete silence. Why are they doing this? "Someone sees us, lad. We should get out of here and figure out why they are doing this." It didn't seem as though Eldrian heard him at first, but then acknowledging the dwarf, they quickly retreated into some smoke.

Hours away from Disilan, the two continued to forge on in fear that they were being followed by the guard. Each still knew as little as they did about the other the time they met, but they didn't talk much to conserve their energy. An eerie chill whipped around the field they traveled. Then, they heard him.
"Hail, good men. What foul luck brings you here this day?" The two turned to the voice. There stood tall, constitute a man with fancy black garb and a stern face similar seen in the man at the bar: black eyes, black hair, and a pale skin.
"How did you get here? Who are you?" demanded the dwarf. A smerk cracked on the mans face.
"I am Galron, once of the Obsidian Rule. As I do understand, the Silver Guard is after you." He studied their expressions as if to validate his claims. He quietly laughed, and began walking circles around them. "We should talk. Now, before I say any more, I must tell you something. I was in the Inner Circle of the Rule. I was granted with a Force Jewel to be in my possession." Facing the two, he was surprised to see their confusion. "Do you not know of the Force Jewels? Then, I shall begin. Long ago, in a time forgotten, ths land was ruled by the Obsidian Rule, a just and fair people. We kept the peace with the nineteen legendary artifacts, the Force Jewels. Each contained a unique magical binding, or Force, unique only to it, unlike other forces. It was these forces that that corrupted one, the holder of the Silver Jewel. He overthrew the empire with his Silver Guard. He seized control of all except the Jewel you hold. You are the only thing stopping him, Eldrian."
"What is this you speak of? I have no Jewel."
"Quite the contrary, you do." Eldrian searched through the folds of his robe until he came across a small multi-faceted jewel contained in brass. "It is not the most powerful of the Force Jewels, but nonetheless powerful."
"Which force is this?" asked Eldrian. Reaching for it, Eldrian pulled it away from Galron's grasp.
"I see," he lowly spoke. "You have good reason not to trust me. You should trust no one. That is, except for your dwarf friend. I am afraid you are bound to him."
"What d'you mean exactly by that?" queried the dwarf.
"The Guard is after both of you, for only you survived through the incident in Disilan. It would be better for you to stay together to be stronger against your foes. There is a town to the east of here, Cairon. It is protected by a magic field that stops any intruders. You would be safe their, for they are not under rule of the Silver Guard. Be quick, for you know not how far behind they are." The pivoted and walked into the distance as he disappeared from sight.

The two stood with only themselves and silence for a short while, until the dwarf spoke up. "Cairon, eh? I've heard many a tale about the place. 'The Circle of Death', travelers call it, for anyone and anything that tries to intrude leaves its corpse at the outside of the shield as warning to those as foolish as they," Drivir told. He turned to Eldrian. "We should start going."

After a long eve of travel across an seemingly endless plain, the group found a city. However, it did not appear as the city they sought, for no magical field surrounded it. They approached with caution, afraid that the protection may be undetectable to the eye. To settle their curiosity, Drivir drew a stone from the ground nearby and threw it. The stone passed uninterrupted through the town's air until it came crashing hard to the city roads.
"It's gone," Eldrian whispered to himself.
"Aye, if this is even Cairon. We could have followed an incorrect path," Drivir's stated.
"We could have," said Eldrian, "but what if this is Cairon? Something has happened." Looking deep into the city, the mage finished, "and I know where to start finding the answers." Off the sorcerer went into the heart of the city. All building were intact, and nothing seemed disturbed of peace, but the people gathered in the center of town. There, a large pit gaped into the earth. "What is this?" Eldrian asked a bystander.
"This is a tunnel the Kobolds took. They came up at night. No one expected it," said the man," and, they took the generator."
"Do you speak of the shield generator?" The man lowered his head.
"Aye", replied he almost apologetic. Then the dwarf came running toward Eldrian as fast as his short legs would allow.
"I have spoken to the Lord of this town", said the warrior. "He has said that we are allowed asilum if we can retrieve the shield generator." Eldrian sighed with grief.
"It appears we have no choice," Eldrian muttered. "We should be off before the Silver Guard takes advantage of Cairon's lack of defense."

The two advanced the pit. They made their way down with ease on ropes the Kobolds had carelessly left behind by the raiding Kobolds. Once inside, they witnissed a network of underground tunnels. They were only dimly lit by a scant few half burnt torches, but that presented no problem to Drivir, for he could see easily in the dark. He began his way through the tunnels.
"Wait," spat out Eldrian. "How do you know that the city is in that direction? What if it is this way?" asked he while gesturing toward the opposite direction. Drivir only shook his head.
"That path is on an upward grade; it would lead back to the surface eventually. The kobolds will have their city in the deepest bowels of these caves," replied Drivir.
"I do suppose you know more about the Underworld than I"
"Aye, just stay on guard. Those kobolds went through the trouble of stealing the generator, and they are going to use it. We won't know where it is in such darkness," said the dwarf, "that is, until it is too late." He paused and hung his head at the thought, pondering deeply.

And so they began to descend the tunnel. Only they traveled the cavern. It was completely dead besides them and the few sparkles glittering from the cave wall. Then, turning a bend, the tunnel widened and the ceiling raised. A small rock fortress stood in the middle. A small, red kobold scouted from the highest battlement. He started screaming some unknown tongue as the outpost's doors openned and out charged three more kobolds. Each chraged forward with picks high in the dark air. Drivir and Eldrian poised to receive the attack. The first kobold lept into the air with a battle cry, but the dwarf struck it down before it could complete its blow. The remaining three tackled Drivir while recovering from his swing.
"Eldrian!" screamed he. "What're you doing? Get these things of off me."
"I think I should-"
"Just get them off," the short tempered dwarf interrupted. Shrugging and stepping back, the mage began drawing invisible signs with his finger extended.
"Unerring and keen fly as a true arrow; magical missiles I invoke, find my foe." From his finger tips launched small, green spheres, each finding a target in the kobolds. The small red creatures fell off the dwarf and onto the cold underground floor, still. Regaining his footing, Drivir dusted himself off and spat at the corpses. "This is too small to be a city," Eldrian whispered to himself while gazing at the building.
"It is," replied the warrior. "It is just an outpost." He turned his eyes toward the structure. "We should be sure to rid of any nuisances that may be left." He grasped his flail with his other hand and eagerly entered the fortress.

The structure was crude and primitive yet resilient, for it was carved out of the cavern itself. Eldrian carefully surveyed the rooms with his dagger at ready in case one of the little creatures attacked him. The dwarf descended the ladder to the battlement and faced the mage.
"No kobolds are 'ere, lad," Drivir said. "However, they did leave some things behind." Then, his fancy turned grimmer than usual. "But they will be of little use for us. Just a suit of armor to small for me to fit into and this measily pick." Drivir sighed. "I don't think these kobolds are of any use at all rather than to plague cities and the Underworld." Eldrian studies the pick closely.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," began the wizard. "We could fetch a pretty price for thse things."
"Aye, that is of little consequence when an entire army is after your head," spoke Drivir with rage increasing in his voice. Quickly stuffing the new found booty into his sack, Eldrian started toward the exit.
"The Guard won't be able to get us if we can get the generator, though. And besides, we might as well get something from all of this trouble we're going through." The mage then departed.
"Ugh, humans," murmured the dwarf. "They're almost worst than elves." Then a smile cracked under his beard as he tossed his small pouch of newly stolen gold into the air and back again. Hiding it in his backpack quickly, he then left the outpost.

The dwarf had to race to meet the human, and it was not too difficult a task for the wizard's path was obstructed. In front of him was a pinkish, transparent wall. Drivir took a hard swallow has he tried to form the words he so desperately wished to speak.
"They've utilized the barrier. We're to late"
"Not necessarily," the mage went on, "we may be able to find a way past it." Not hesitating as usual, the dwarf dropped his gear and lifted the largest rock he could. Having it over his head, he let out a mighty cry and threw it at the wall. A brilliant flash cam forth as the walls energies focused on the stone. It tossed it to and fro as a predator to its prey until it was reduced to rubble. "You cannot destroy the magical with the physical, my friend."
"Then use your magic," the dwarf was quick to command. The mage turned, as though ashamed and furious all at once.
"I can't," Eldrian replied.
"What do you mean? I just saw you blast those kobolds away at that outpost."
"Yes, that is my point. I cannot cast magic freely. I can only remember so many spells in a day. That was my last, as I tried to warn you. I was afraid that we would have larger challenges." The dwarf scratched his beard and thought hard.
"There must be another way past it, then." It was then that he remembered. "Eldrian! The pick! We can dig around the field!" The mage hastily rumaged through his sack until he came across the small kobold weapon. It was built for light combat, not digging tunnels through rock, but it would have to do. Drivir wasted no time, and began to hack away the stone with all of his might. Then many cracks started to form. Curiously, the warrior continued to remove the rock until a hole formed. It lead into some sort of tunnel filled with murky waters.
"A sewer," Eldrian whispered unaware of his action.

The two waded knee (and waist) deep in the filth. They carefully followed the system into the heart of the city. Drivir hoisted Eldrian to a small grating to find which building they were underneath.
"It looks like an armory," informed he. "It's probably the best place to protect the generator."
"Aye, but are there any guards?" Eldrian looked carefully through the room.
"Two," he said. "They should present little difficulty." He drew his dagger and used it to pry out the grating. By the time the guards had noticed, he was already out and standing with Drivir coming up, too. He threw one dagger into the forehead of one guard as he evaded the pick of the second. Drivir grasped its ankle and threw it into the sewer. Pulling himself up, he grabbed the bench the two had been resting on and propped it to the door. Turning to the one on the opposite face, he tried to open it, but it would not move.
"Ah! It's locked!" The fighter moved to the guard and searched him for the key. Upon finding it, he returned to the door and carefully, peered into the next room.

The room was lined with suits of armor, eight to a wall. Drivir walked through the room, looking at the Kobold craftmanship with disgust, although it was rather good, especially for Kobolds. Eldrian, however, stood at the entrance, sensing something out of place. While looking at the statues, he saw one near Drivir begin to move.
"Behind you!" he warned, but was too late. The dwarf turned in time to meet the blow of a pick. He fell to the floor, stricken in pain as the other fifteen statues animated. Eldrian pushed the one nearest to him over the next as they fell in a chain reaction. Drivir, now searing with rage, drew his flail and stuck his attacker on the helm. It spun and fell from its body, revealing the Kobold within.
"They aren't magic. They're just Kobolds!" He seemed to grin at the delight that this would be an easy battle. He lounged again at another, breaking its armor down the middle. Eldrian found it quicker to slip his dagger past the unguarded throats of the armor. The enemy was very slow, so the two were never touched and finished their deed relatively swiftly. Kicking one of the helms to turn on its side, Drivir sneared with digust and sought the next room.

Tried from battle and eager for rest from thier chase, the rotating gem in the center room was a welcoming invitation to the eye. However, the five kobolds in the room were not. Drunk on wine and laughter, the Kobolds did not take immediate notice of the two, which was a grave mistake. Drivir flung a table with three into a spear rack on the wall, and Eldrian attempted to sneak upon one, but failed when its pick caught him at the side. Falling to his knees, Eldrian rammed it with his shoulder and toward the gem. A yard or two away from it and the Kobold bounced back as if on the air. Contemplating this, Eldrian was soon grapple by another Kobold. With expert percision, Drivir swung his flail and removed the Kobold from Eldrian and life from the Kobold. With all of the guards gone, Drivir started toward the crystal.
"Don't!" cried Eldrian, while curling in pain from his wound. "The generator is activated, all area around the gem has the same effect as the barrier itself." Remembering the rock he had thrown, the warrior stepped back.
"How do we get it, then?"
"I'm not quite sure."
"That's because you think too much. Sometimes, you just must follow your heart." Upon that, Drivir lifted a table and tossed it at the strange device. Both table and machine were destroyed, and the crystal laid free. Moving toward its eerie calm glow, he packed his flail and lifted the gem. "I believe this is what we came for."

Copyright © 1999 - 2000 Gudrun's Incitement 18

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