Act One : Beginnings and Endings

“Very well, I accept” Said Avalanche as he slammed another guard who was advancing at him towards with a pike. The guard went spinning and flew over the angry crowd of Guards who realized range weapons were not affective against the Frost Armor. They drew all of their melee weapons, pikes, swords and maces and began to charge towards the three heroes.

"YAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR THE PEACE OF WILDEFORT!!!!!!!!!"

Thrust.
Parry.
Swing.
Duck.
Kick.
Flip.
Spin.
Uppercut.
Flip again.

Deimos and the Wanderer moved in a harshly graceful dance of death, both moving quickly and decisively, each predicting his opponent’s move and acting on it. They dueled through the streets, the man with his mace and the elf with his knifes, faster than most could even react. One disguised his skill with apparently imprecise swings, which actually held a power and speed all their own. One made no effort to hide his lithe gracefulness and agility, flipping, turning in midair and attempting to strike his opponent in mid-air. They moved throughout the town. Deimos struck at his foe’s shoulder. He twisted aside, and stabbed at the warrior’s ribs, exploiting a gap in his armor – an advantage which was promptly lost when his knifes met the cold steel of Deimos’s mace. With a swift blow, they were knocked out of his hand s . His next swing missed, as the cloaked figure backflipped to where his weapons lay, picking them up. Both stopped for a moment, sweat running down their faces. There were sounds of combat in the distance. Then, without a word, they dashed towards each other, and the fight was resumed with a clash of steel on steel. If anyone in the battle had cared to look, they would see both combatants slowly moving towards the battleground.

Cinderblast swung in his sword in a swift motion around him creating an arc of fire that cut through 2 guards and sent a fireball hurtling down the street just missing a guard.

*grunts* my magical energy is low…but…NOT EVENING FROST’S!

The enchanted flail struck another guard and speared his armor with its spikes. The flail swung around in Avalanche’s hand and flung the guard into another and slammed them both into the side of a wall. Evening Frost retracted and Avalanche used it as a club and smashed the head of a guard his brain splattered into the pavement. In the distance…two powerful figures clashed. Avalanche shook off his curiosity and concentrated on the guards.

There seams to be a fight Bane thought where is my sword. Why had the frost elemental picked them up oh well i guess its time to use some magic

"Darkness slicer"

With that a wave of dark energy sliced 6 guards in half and 4 mortaly wounded (32) that took more energy than i hoped

"Darkness shield'

Bane planned to sit there and focus regaining the energy from the fight with the guard captain and the spells he had just cast

The Wanderer flew into several guards, knocking them over like ninepins.

As he lay on the ground, stunned, Deimos, holding his mace and smirking, walked up to him slowly.

"Close combat was never your forte, Greenwood. But it is mine."

He raised his mace, ready to deliver the coup de grace -

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A chain wrapped around Bane's wrist, and it was yanked with a force that would send him toppling to the ground.

At the other end of the chain was a tanned ,gloved, square jawed man, his eyes concealed by a broad-rimmed hat, and dressed in a red coat.

"Deimos appears to have called me to fight you."

"From what I've seen...."

"You don't seem worth it."

"The name's Crimson. Pleasure to meet ya."

A ball of fire coalesced in his hand.

"Remember it now...."

"Cause it'll be the last name you hear for a very long time."

The orb landed at Bane's feet - and exploded in a flash of consuming flame.

Bane thought really another one and why would the guard call this man to fight me if he stronger than me the chain hit Bane with amazing force causing ban to flinsh with pain but quickly created some floating darkness to make the fire ball explode right in front of chrimson

The orb hit the wall of shadow, and the explosion was redirected at the man in the coat -

When the smoke cleared, he was gone. Then, without warning, the chain around Bane's wrist burst into flames.

Crimson was standing behind him.

"Not bad. But no fancy dark magic is going to stop me." With a flick of his wrist, he extended another blazing chain from his left hand. But then, from behind Crimson came a guard, his pike raised, ready to spear him in the back -

The man promptly burst into flames. Anguished screams and the smell of charring flesh filled the air, as the tormented figure writhed in agony.

Crimson smiled. "Anyone else who tries to get in my way like that again is dead."

"Now, where were we? Ah, yes." He proceeded to whip the chain in his left hand at the necromancer with astounding speed.

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Deimos moved in for the kill. There was no way that the elf could stop him now - which was why he was completely caught off guard when the Wanderer rolled to the side and launched a kick to his left temple.

Reeling back, he grated, "But how?"

Again, the enigmatic smile. "It is not my time, Polemistis."

"The First People are bound by the Threads of Fate - and my end has not come - yet."

"Speed of the Gazelle."

And with that, he launched himself at the warrior, leaving a trail of dust in his wake as he leapt through the air.

Deimos hefted his mace. "End or not... you will fall!"

He swung his weapon at the Wanderer, as the elf raised his knives to block the blow.

cinderblast dispacted of another guard with a quick blow to the head. He Turn around to see the cloaked man being chained by the one who called himself crimson. Cinderblast drew his sword up into the air and swung it down with great force upon the head of Crimson.

hyper hammer spin

Evening frost spun like a whirlwind and crushed another five guards and blew another few off their feet who he froze with a single touch. He noticed man of his "allies" in trouble. He launched the head of his flail with incredible speed towards the chest of Demios...

Outside the town of Wildefort, the two guards watched as the line of disorderly rabble moved chaotically along the path leading to the nearest town.

“You know,” one remarked, “This evacuation wouldn’t be happening if those adventurers hadn’t started that fight.”

“Yeah,” the other replied, “But it was our Captain who ordered the state of emergency. Hopefully he’ll be able to pummel them into the ground within the next five minutes. Then we can get back to our coffee.”

“Mmmm.”
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Deimos didn't see it coming.

The warrior, hit full on the chest by Evening Frost, went crashing into the side of a shop, frozen in a block of ice from the neck down.

“Why….you….”

With a swift movement, the Wanderer broke his neck.

As he stepped back, he turned to Avalanche. “He’ll be fine. The healers here are awfully good, and it’ll take more than a broken neck to stop him anyway.”

He did not answer the obvious question: why hadn’t he killed him?

He had his own reasons for that.

“Come. Our comrades need our help.”

Stepping over a body, he strode through the battlefield towards the place where Crimson, Cinderblast and Bane were fighting. Almost all the guards had been incapacitated in some way or another, and the few that could still stand were limping away, clearly not ready to stand against the adventurers any longer.

Everything... is going as planned.
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Crimson dropped his chain and punched Cinderblast in the face before his stroke fell. The electrified knuckleduster around his fist sparked, releasing a powerful shock into the ash elemental’s body.

However, he had let Bane recover during this action, and with enough effort, the necromancer might be able to free himself from the chain around his wrist and attack….

I guess that's payback for invading my privacy...

But the fight's not over

Avalanche propelled himself into the air and brough the head of Evening Frost down upon the head on Crimson.

HYPER HAMMER SMASHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crimson stepped back, and Evening Frost smashed into the ground, creating a fairly large crater.

With his spare hand, he created a blade of fire, which he proceeded to use against both Avalanche and Cinderblast, moving with grace and finesse.

"Well, three of you now? I can handle that."

He regarded Deimos' body with an aside glance. Eh. He would get better.

He aimed a stab at Avalanche's chest, leaving a glowing trail of fire. The flame glowed white-hot - hot enough to evaporate water and melt ice with ease.

It would not be pretty if it hit.

Avalanche whipped around and dropped his flail and immediately created two blades of frost and clashed with the blade of fire. On the tip of his boots sprouted two blades of Ice.

My frost is not any ordinary frost...I can create any weapon with my Ice

He kicked the sword out of Crimson's hand and launched a kick into the abdomen of Crimson

Crimson grunted as he was forced back by Avalanche's blades. He had not expected the strange being's cryomancy to be at such an unusually high level - so it came as a greater surprise to him when the ice blade on Avalanche's armored boot sank deep into his stomach.

As he fell to the ground, the Wanderer brought his gloved fists down on his head with surprising force, knocking him out cold. Blood was spreading across the man's clothes, darkening the already - red fabric.

"He'll live."

Again, the same question. Why hadn't he simply gotten rid of him?

Of course, it merited the same answer as before.

The Wanderer stood in front of the three.

"Now, it seems that we are finally free of all interruptions. Let me tell you my reason for contacting you in such... an unusual way."

"But first... have you ever heard of the Drakonstele?"

Cinderblast picked himself up after being knocked over by the blow to his face and thus narrowly missing the blade of fire. "Drakonstele?" He said

"The Legendary Stone of Dragons," he said, in reply to their clueless looks.

"It was once the most prized possession of the King of Vanir - that is, till it was stolen."

"By me."

"But I digress."

"The Drakonstele is a tablet, the magnum opus of Hindruan the Great, Dragonkin - one of the most powerful summoners of a long-lost age. He crafted it, and bound it with the strange magics of his race - so that at his mere call, the sires of his forefathers and fathers, the dragons would come, and be subservient to him."

"For what purposes he used it, I cannot say. But I can say that it is a most powerful and prized artifact. Many have died in their conquest of it. I myself only escaped by using all the resources and skills available to me."

"However, on my way back, I was waylaid by the Orcs of the Twin Peaks - residents of the mountains. After a long fight, they managed to prise it from my grasp, and were about to kill me - when I was saved by the timely intervention of one of my allies."

"He bade me leave while he dealt with the situation - and so I did."

"But that was many years ago. And though my ally was able to hold the Orcs off and emerge alive, he could not prevent them from stealing away with the Stone -"

"Which is why I have brought you here."

His tone grew serious. "Will you join me on a quest to the Twin Peaks to regain the Drakonstele?"

"You Know about A.R I Presume? Then count me in. These worthless mongrels who hire me for puny favors know nothing about A.R, but this time...you journey to the Twin Peaks...ARE RATHER INTERESTING. But if you lie about your knowledge of A.R...then prepare to suffer eternal pain...On second thought...this sounds quite fun...*chuckle*"

Avalanche paused for maximum emphasis

"Count me in"

He smiled. A small, cryptic smile that hid his true intentions.

"Very well, Avalanche of Sardonis. You have graciously opted to join me on my quest. I see that I have not misjudged you - nor your abilities. For your power and combat experience will prove vital to us."

"In return, I will give you information about the person you seek. You will not regret this decision."

"The same goes for you, Cinderblast. For I know all that you know about yourself - and some things that you do not."

"And you, Bane? I have not yet given you the reward I promised - but it will be greater still if you will join me on this quest. As for now -"

From his belt, he drew a black Elvish blade, crafted with great skill, and inlaid with gold runes. The single edge shone silver, and it seemed to cut the very air as he passed it to the necromancer, holding it by the ornate, jeweled hilt.

"The Shadow's Requiem. This blade has all the power of your old sword, and then some. There are very few things softer than stone that it will not cut, save those that are warded with powerful spells, or that are by virtue mightier than it. It will cleave iron like green wood, but it itself is lighter than many lesser blades - see! how fine the worksmanship!"

He brought it to the light, letting it shine for a brief moment - then with a deft movement he brought the blade around, sheathing it in a matching black scabbard, before presenting it to the necromancer.

"It will aid you in both this journey and the journeys to come - that is, if you do decide to come with me."

"Well?"

Christopher was unsettled, the tales of the druid had never shown him as a angry man even though he was a viking, druids are meant to be calm, something is a miss but Christopher was to bored to care, he strolled down the hill. Minutes after he left he heard fighting, Months of walking and now the sound of fighting rang into Christopher's viking ears pulling out his favorite axe he started picking up speed. A trot, a jog, a run and eventually a sprint. Christopher rapidly sped down the hill grinding to a halt on the autumn leaves after noticing the fall in "clangs" and "bangs", he hid behind a tree, and watched, stunned as the strange characters left their enemies alive in a near dead state, "they show now honor in battle, they owe them a quick death", Christopher could not however hear their conversations, he approached these merciless fighters. He was board and got close enough to hear the word "journey", "I like a good Journeys" Christopher said to the band of fighters.

"Christopher Nordalyle."

The Wanderer gestured towards the Viking.

"So you have come at last."

"Will you accept my offer and join us on our quest?"

The spirits in his head whispered at the sound "aaaaaaaaa rrrrrrrrrrrr" Cinderblast shook his head and then looked up at the figure who had made this proposition. "i agree i will join you for answers about this a.r" he raised his hand showing the insignia. "But now is time for introductions" he turned towards the others in the group. "My name is cinderblast and..." he was then interupted by the man who appeared behind him.

"As expected."

"I was expected?" Christopher flashed back to the tavern where he heard His name shouted "You Have heard of me, where?"
"any way, yes I am joining your quest, until the raven comes to me..."