Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

Chapter 11

.....The sky outside was blackened with night. A light rain drizzled over the lands, along with howls echoing through the plains and forests. Far off thunder could be heard, with lightning illuminating the sky.
.....In the darkened room high up in a tower, a shadowy figure stood in the center, a book in his hands. Muttering prayers and enchantments, the figure tried to open the book. Like the many times before, bright light leapt from the book and fizzled away as it slammed into magical barriers, but this time the book didn't snap closed.
.....Its finally done, the figure thought to himself, trying to read the crude and lost language. The figure turned and retreated out of the room and down the dark passages...

.....The ship had dropped anchor just off the southern coast of Atheria. It bore no flag or markings, looking just like another merchant vessel. This ship, however, was no merchant ship.
.....Hidden under tarps were large catapaults, some barrels filled with rocks along with them. Below decks, cannons lined the port and starboard sides. Small windows could be opened for the cannons to be pointed out of.
.....Crew members ran about the ship, doing their normal business. A few figures stood on the deck, talking to each other in almost whispers.
....."So they have agreed?" a cloaked figure said, obviously feminine.
....."Yes," replied another figure, who was a lot larger than the first.
....."Then we will begin with the plan," the feminine figure whispered to the three others in front of her.
....."Do you think we could know that plan?" another large figure asked.
.....The feminine figure nodded and motioned to the rope ladder leading below deck.

.....Simoriah looked at the three respected Knights before her. "Now that the time is right, we will be doing some major strikes on the Asmar homeland. They have many, correct, but they cannot expect to kill us without a fight. A group of three boats will set sail for the southern coast and drop off three strike teams. While this is happening, three other ships will attempt to make a 'fake' drop off at the western coast, just north of Kyria.
....."This diversion should keep them occupied for a while. Also, Tijir and Aard will begin to wreck havok along the western coast near Kyria. That action might allow us to free Kyria from Asmar hands, along with allowing them to help Liku if they fall under heavy assualt."
....."But what will happen to the other three ships making the fake drop off?" Gathil inquired.
....."I will inform the crew of those ships of what will happen. They will not die. Also, the strike teams' main objectives are to clean the plains of Asmar soldiers. Eventually, the teams will come across a fortress. It will be up to them to try and disable that fortress," Simoriah responded.
.....Gathil, Cory, and Rijer nodded.

.....Rijer looked out at the sea. The rough waves rolled past, raising and lowering the boat. We're pushing them in the south and west. What's to stop them from being pushed north into Cardania? The defenses are weak... They could even hop over to Atheria! his thoughts raced. Shaking his head and closing his vibrant green eyes, he thought of how many could die.
....."Hey, there..." a female voice came from behind him.
.....Jumping in startlement, his eyes flashed open and whipped around to focus themselves on Myou Juan, his wife. "Hey," he replied.
....."Simoriah told me to inform you we will begin heading back to Whitestorm immediately, and also asked if you want to be a leader of one of the strike teams," Myou Juan said to him, leaning on the guard rail of the ship, her pointed elf ears sticking through her hair.
....."No. I will be staying behind," Rijer replied.
....."I'm staying behind, too, then. I was hoping we would get our chance to slay the Asmar, but we can do plenty of that later," she replied.
....."We will get our chance," he smiled at her.

....."That damned book! Those damned Cardanians! Agghhhh!!!! If they weren't so many miles away I would have all their heads put on poles all around the MAIN CITY!!!"
....."Calm down, General! We-"
....."No I will not calm down! We wasted all these hours for a pointless book of history! Are there NO secrets of Cardanian magic?!" the General interrupted.
....."I don't know, General. But if you will let me continue for a second. Thank you. Those smelly Lizardmen have attacked us. I had feared that this would happen, but it is only a delay. The Cardanians obviously sent an ambassador to Liku. The Lizardmen have joined in the war, yet their soldiers which were captured claim they have no alliance with the Cardanians. Its as if those disgusting excuse for an evolved lizards are attacking us for no reason!" the liuetenant told the general.
....."The Lizardmen have joined in this battle? So be it. We will conquor them as we will conquor Cardania. Order half of the eastern troops to assist the southwestern in defending our coast. And, what word have you of those two dragons?" Grytu said, his mood calming.
....."We still haven't found them, but some troops along the western coast have not reported in for a few weeks now. I have ordered the searches to be doubled," the second Asmar replied.
.....The general nodded.

.....Sargon cursed bitterly. The Asmar had taken hold of almost all of Cardania. Only the central western area was still in the Cardanian's hands, mostly because the Artrell, Drow-elves, and Xenoran's were forming a temporary alliance to keep the homes. The roads to Xenora had been cut off. The mages of Xenora had used their powerful magic to cause landslides and the such.
.....The Artrells were holding the Asmar out of the Hive If the Hive fell, the Drow-elves would be threatened. While the Drow-elves were quite strong, Sargon preferred to have two Queendom's between him and the enemy.
.....The drows just caused trouble for the Asmar. They ran out of the darkness and struck the Asmar then hid again, as if playing a psychological war on the enemy soldiers, making them fear if they were next.
.....Days before, the multi-colored balloons of the Asmar had been seen in the distance. The remaining mages had stood on the trail to the castle, ready to burn down anything that came near.
.....Sargon sighed. They couldn't hold out much longer. They needed assistance immediately. The last time they had even heard from the Jeweled Knights was during the Battle of Lanerell!
.....A loud shout came, interrupting his thoughts. "Their coming! Their coming! Quick!"
.....All hell broke loose. Soldiers ran with their weapons, resting guards grabbed their shields and swords. Citizens ran for cover. Cries for help echoed within the mountain passes.
.....Sargon grabbed his sheathed sword from the table where he was standing, looking over a crude map of the area. Running towards the castle, he strapped the sword onto his waist.
.....He stood there with some other guards, watching soldiers running for the battlegrounds. Sargon searched the sky for the balloons, but they had vanished.
....."Where'd they go?" a druid elf asked, who went by the nickname of Flyby.
....."I don't know..." Sargon replied, thinking deeply.
....."Well, if they keep this up they'll will the war without killing another person."
....."Let's hope they don't.

.....Cory grabbed Rijer's arm. "Wait." he whispered.
.....Pulling Rijer into the shadows of the streets in Old Town of Whitestorm, Cory glanced around to see if anyone was watching. "I just received some disturbing news from my guild," Cory explained.
....."Have they found something out?" Rijer's eyes lit up.
....."They have, but at a terrible price. The Council of Explorer's has been terminated. The Asmar found the guild hall. The council was forced to flee."
....."Why was it terminated if they are still alive?" Rijer blinked.
.....Cory glanced around again. "The guild cannot keep doing what it has been. Sarching for Asmar hints and answers while trying to stay alive. They decided it would be best if the entire guild was let go. They did, however, find out a certain something before they came to this conclusion."
.....Rijer frowned in thought. "Go on..."
....."The Asmar have set up a hospital in an area void of sentient life. One of the Explorer's had been following a group of wounded Asmar when he saw them enter a path with thick brush. The roads were almost entirely covered in grasses, and the ruins of an old city were down the path," Cory whispered to Rijer.
....."Could it be...the Forgotten Kingdom?!" Rijer gasped.
....."I think so. But that's quite deep into Asmar territory." Cory glanced at Rijer.
....."Your going on the strike of the Asmar continent, right?"
.....Cory's eyes blinked. "Your not going? Your one of the best in Jewel..."
....."We can't risk everyone on one mission," Rijer explained, his green eyes glancing around the street. "I think I'll be going now..."
....."Wait...your not planning on doing anything stupid?" Cory frowned.
.....RIjer turned his head to Cory. "Stupid things are something I failed to learn."
.....Cory frowned and walked towards the square, passing an odd pile of empty boxes with a weird banging noise coming from underneath.

.....Miaka muttered angrily. "Filthy rats!" she roared in her innocently soft voice. "When I get my hands on him...I'm gonna pound his skull in with...with...THIS DEAD RAT!!!" the nymph roared as her fist slammed down onto another rat, killing it.
.....Only a few days ago she had been enjoying a nice drink in Whitestorm's bar when a barfight had erupted. She hadn't noticed it in her drunkedness, and had accidently gotten between a fight. The larger of the two had thrown her into the Whitestorm sewers and closed the manhole.
.....Miaka screamed in frustration. She was tired of eating rats...and pounding on the manhole.
....."First thins first...I get out of here!" she smiled at the thought. "Second, I stop talking to myself," she said as she slapped herself on the head. "Ow."
.....The little nymph began walking down the disgusting tunnels toward the ocean.

.....Splash! Miaka landed in a puddle of disgusting waste. "EWWWW!!!! You filthy disgusting smelly fools!" came flying out of her mouth as she glanced at the puddle. Groaning, she held her nose and waded towards the docks...and clean water...