Garath Stark's Story

Garath woke with a groan as he blinked his weary eyes awake. He had not had a sleep that deep in years. It took him all of a few seconds to recognize the slumber was not a natural one, sensing the Will used to render him unconscious. He was in a shoddy little tent, the scent of burning wood heavy in the air. Garath moved to the entrance of his tent, tentatively peering outside. He spotted a few others making their way out of tents identical to the one he was in. Three men, all warriors by the look of them. One was a beast of a man, had the look of a brawler to him yet didn't have the viscous savageness of some random thug. The second big man had bright keen looking eyes. There was a calm to him that surprised the Will user. The last man was an archer. Evident by the bow and hunters cloak. The other two were women. One had long, curly golden brown hair and sad eyes. The other's hair was strikingly different. It practically was alight a fiery and passionate red hue. She had the look of a skilled warrior. The kind of fighter Garath would think twice about crossing.

He slowly made his way out and took his seat around the fire along with the others, all the while remaining hidden within the shadows his hood and cloak provided. Then the blind seer spoke. She introduced herself as Theresa, The Blind Seeress. The name was familiar. Garath had read her name in a few accounts of the hero of Bowerstone. She was a powerful seer whose name and influence was well documented by those who took the time to listen. Garath sat in silence as she spoke. She told all gathered of their destiny to come. Of how they would help effect a course of events that would change the world for the better. She told them of how they could save this land from the mistakes made by one foolish witch. The news that a misbegotten Will user was to blame for this lands strife caused Garath to cringe under his robes. Yet another reason to hate Will users was all he needed.

When she was finished there a momentary silence before the archer got to his feet. He introduced himself as Sammus, of Mountains Gate. Mounatins Gate was the village Garath had just been at before Theresa's intervention. Sammus told the others that while he was not yet ready to trust the seeress he was willing to follow her for the sake of fate. Garath himself never much thought of fate as anything other than cruel chance. For if fate was some sort of intelligent force than it surely hated him with a burning passion.

Sammus said his peace before sitting back down and looking around, apparently waiting to see who else would speak up. Garath normally wouldn't be the next to speak. Being as reserved and quiet as he was talking, especially in front of groups, was not something he was comfortable with. Yet inexplicably he felt compelled to give voice to his what his mind was thinking. While not as confidant as Sammus Garath did speak, from his seat. Unlike Sammus whose voice was proud and firm Garaths was subtle and hesitant with the faintest hint of strength. Like the dying wind after a rain storm.

"I agree with Sammus... I... I may not know much about this witch but if she is truly as dangerous as Theresa says then we should help."

Garath could feel all the eyes of the group on him and made him feel even more unsettled. He cleared his throat before continuing.

"And my name is Garath..."

Garath had to take a deep breath after the vision subsided. He'd never experienced anything like that in his life. It was so real, much more than a dream. He could almost feel the sand beneath his boots as he stood behind the witch. Smell the sea air as the wind howled around them. The sounds of the screams still echoed in his mind causing his jaw to clench in displeasure. His eyes flicked up as Theresa finished making her point. Zayne had yet to speak again and for the second time Garath did something out of character for him and spoke up.

"That... was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Magic is dangerous in the best of times but that... That was almost demonic. This witch must be stopped before she covers the whole of the land in darkness."

He paused allowing his gaze to flick to those around him.

"I know not if any of you know much of our patron here but I have read a few tomes on Theresa, The Blind Seeres. Her influence is great and I believe her to be a benevolent force in this world. She aided the Hero of Bowerstone in the past, whose legend I'm sure you are all familiar with. Now she comes to us seeking our aid. We cannot turn her away idly."

He said, the young mages voice taking on a bit more force and certainty than it had before. Garath was already beginning to feel that this cause was meant for him. Whether by fate or destiny or whatever the case may be it just might be the only chance he had at doing something good with his life. Possibly a final chance at atonement yet he wondered if atonement could be achieved for one who has done such deeds.

Quil Purcel

Fingers curled around a blanket that didn’t feel like hers. Eyes blinked open, mouth pulled into a frown. Gaze traveled the fractured lines of the tent. Her body tensed and rolled, then suddenly Quil was on one knee, lunging for the gaping mouth of the tent she had been sleeping in. She had no memory of how she’d gotten there, but there was an innate sense of wrongness that sent a chill down her spine.

Before golden flames that licked teasingly at the blackness of the night sky stood a woman, her milky-white eyes fixed on Quil. Quil shivered even though she was dressed warmly, her eyes narrowing in angered confusion. Who was this woman that beckoned her toward the fire, and who were these people?

Her eyes traveled over their shadowy, uplit faces one by one. A tall, dark haired man in a leather cuirass proclaimed his devotion to the strange woman, making Quil scowl in response, green-brown eyes rolling backward in a look of disgust. Idiot, she thought. The next man her eyes lit on was more lithe, clearly not a man of strength. There was something familiar about his face, but Quil couldn’t put her finger on it. She had seen him before, she was almost certain. When he agreed with the first man and threw his coin in with the blind woman, Quil’s frown deepened.

All expression went slack when her scrutinizing gaze turned to the man beside him. Her jaw dropped open and she took a quick, small step backward, her eyes locking with his. Zayne, she thought, gut twisting. Zayne Nightenfall, huge and hulking, almost seven feet of gentle, blue eyed giant. Once he had almost been like a brother to her, but now those days were long gone. Her slack-jawed demeanor hardened and became a frosty, acknowledging glower.

At least he’s not so stupid anymore, she thought, crossing her arms over her chest. At least he had learned a few things from her, like to consider himself before jumping feet first into everything. She had always resented his rigid morals; had always been irritated that his selflessness made her look bad in comparison.

The blind gypsy-woman washed some kind of spell over them and Quil was transported to a lake. She shivered in the cool breeze, though she knew it wasn’t real. Four figures lashed to poles spoke before her, unaware of her presence. She held her breath, tensing as the figures turned to beasts. The vision subsided and Quil recoiled, wrapping her arms even tighter around herself. She glanced at Zayne, wondering if the stoic man was as unsettled as she was. She didn’t trust Theresa the Seeress, nor did she want any part of her plans to right the wrongs of others.

Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t cast stones, she thought. Quil was no stranger to wrongdoing.

Yet... The man in the robes was setting off some memory in her. She knew him from somewhere, she was certain of it. Gareth, she thought. I know that name.

“I don’t care for your prophecies, Seeress,” spat Quil, stepping forward. “I don’t like waking up in the middle of the woods with no memory of how I got here.”

She looked next at Sammus, eyes traveling slowly down his figure then back up to his face. She shook her head at him. “I think you’re a fool, but maybe you’ve got some cunning in you, yet.”

Quil lifted her arm and pointed directly across the fire at Zayne, eyes narrowed. “We’ve got a score to settle, you and I. And you,” she said, looking pointedly at Gareth. “There’s something bothering me about you and I won’t rest until I figure out what it is.”

She looked back at Theresa who, though blind, seemed to see her, or maybe just through her. “I don’t care about the wrongs of others; I don’t care about witches or evil or any of that unless it means gold in my pocket. The only reason I’m even sticking around with this lot is because I’ve got a strange feeling about that one,” she said, flicking her eyes to Gareth. “I don’t trust that one not to crack my head open with his hammer the second I turn to leave,” she continued, looking pointedly at Zayne, “and this one-” she said, tilting her chin toward Sammus, “is either so naive I can easily take advantage of him, or he's even more devious than me and I need to watch my back.”

Sammus' eyes blurred as he and the others were cast into the story that told of the beginning of Albion's downfall. As he watched and listened he tried hard to look at the face of the witch who was committing this horrific crime. Alas, every time he came close to her face, it was like the story didn't want him to see the face. Frustrated he watched in increasing anger as the four people tied to the poles suffered a fate worse than death when the magic music box unleashed a great evil. Sammus' eyes blurred again and he stopped and held his breath as the darkness began to fade around him and suddenly the campfire light warmed his body again. But he was still left with unease and a sudden spontaneous contempt for the witch. Which was not calmed when the man Garath spoke saying "That... was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Magic is dangerous in the best of times but that... That was almost demonic. This witch must be stopped before she covers the whole of the land in darkness." Sammus nodded in agreement.

He remained quiet as the other's before him spoke and suddenly the woman with what appeared to be a fiery passion spoke out, singling most of the group out and reeling off why it seemed, she didn't trust them. Sammus then stood up, and his tone of voice was form than before, "You need to set your opinions aside lady" he looked around them, and motioned to the dark forest that loomed over head, "This is not some trivial fable you can discard to the back of your mind." Sammus looked at the others, the man who has supported him and the other across from him Zayne; "You all know that Albion was destroyed many years ago... more years than what would equal two of our life-spans. And you all know of the many strange and mysterious things these lands hide just us much as the next... I can tell" he looked back to Quil, "Yet you're still so eager to disregard Theresa, a woman who I believe has proved enough that she is who she says she is."

Sammus turned his head to the side and looked into the trees, his voice lowering to that of caution and some fear, "I think myself not as naive but hopeful and without the intent of being arrogant - righteous... and whether prophecy or not, we have been brought together to do something about the problem that stops us and the rest of the world form living in peace..." Sammus then turned to Theresa and politely asked "What is it we must do to start our journey forward seeress?"



Theresa listened as the heroes before her spoke. Her calmness and neutral expression never wavering, no matter how many times the people before her questioned her. But when the men Garath and Sammus spoke of the true evil and how they wished to stop it she spoke in agreement; "Your quarrels, be it with one another or someone or something else should be held onto until it is time to unleash them properly" Theresa walked to the heroes and stood between them, "Time is of the essence, you must make your way to the small village of Orrick... there you will meet a man who can tell you what to do next." Theresa turned and began to walk into the darkness her voice echoing as she fades.

"It does not matter how or why you rid this land of evil, but that you do it and do so fast... or you won't live to see tomorrow"

Mysterious Voice

"Who daressss enter the Foressst of Lacrimisss... the Foressst of Tearsss without my permisssion? Naughty Naughty..." it hisses at you, taunting. "Youuu are different for the normal wandersss; Maaagical, ssstrooong, aaagiiile." Suddenly the fog upon the forest floor thickens and the fire begins to dim. A strong presence fills the air but you can't see out into the darkness. The voice echoes through the tree's again, "Youuu are the onesss ssspoken of in legendsss. Youuu are the onesss foretold of..." You feel the earth tremble beneath you as something giant moves about. Trees are breaking just out of eyesight and thunderous crashing echoes around. "Youuu musssn't live. You musssn't beee."

Suddenly the presence that taunts you vanishes. The heavy feeling that gathered like a pit in your stomach eases slightly. Sammus calls out to the darkness, "Who is there? What was that?". Echoing back through the trees on the wind are the whispered words of Theresa "That is the evil you must face... that is what you are stopping... you must fight for Albion... You must fight for your life!" the wind picks back up as something else moves within the trees and you hear the last words of Theresa echo "We will meet again."

Suddenly from the darkness four or so half-snake half-human creatures appear, they wield ancient halberd-like weapons and you hear the echoing voice of the evil that was just here speak to you, "You will not stop meee. You will dieee!" The creatures begin to sperate. They're planning to attack each of the heroes separately.

Aurora had been standing quietly in the light of the fire for some time, listening to the unfamiliar voices around her, inhaling the strong aroma of burning foliage. She was skeptical of Theresa's idea of their fates and yet, something in the back of Aurora's mind was curious, almost believing of her words. Aurora couldn't work out if it was her mind, thinking that this could be a way to escape from betrothal or if deep in her subconscious, she found truths in Theresa's lyrical words. Both were interesting, though the first was far more important to Aurora. She was free from the arranged marriage she had desperately wanted to avoid, but she had no idea where she had be brought, or by whom. She found Theresa's words seeping into her mind, swirling through the frightening fantasies. This witch she spoke of sounded like something from the stories she told her sisters, but the way in which the Blind Seeress spoke of her, it almost sounded real.

After a minute more listening to the fire hiss and crackle, Aurora stood and pushed her chest outwards, curving her back, stretching. She then moved silently into the group, looking into the dancing flames before speaking. "I am Aurora Luminus." Her amber eyes traveled across the others, taking in their appearances and trying to see if she could work out what skills they possessed.

"Yes, what must we do Theresa?" Aurora asked bluntly, a soft scowl written on her face, pulling her axe to her side, her hip jutted out. "This witch sounds dangerous, but not all of us seem like the warrior type. Are we s'posed to stand united and hope some sort of powers emerge?" Aurora felt a slight smirk tug on the corner of her lips. She just couldn't understand what was going on here, why herself and these strangers had been brought into the fabled forest and why they had been told they were the ones who were to defeat this witch. Aurora love to spar, loved to stretch her battle muscles but she was no expert, nor was she one of those mythical heroes from the campfire tales.

She sighed. "So, now what-"

The fire flickered dangerously, the glowing embers fading. The hissing sounds snaked around Aurora, her skin going cold and lumpy. She gripped her hammer, bringing it up before her chest, her eyes narrowed. She heard the man called Sammus question what was going on. She moved closer to the group, her back towards theirs as her eyes darted around frantically trying to find the source of the voice. And then she saw them, the half-serpent half-man abominations gliding towards them. Aurora gasped, stumbling back a little in horror. "Wh-what is...Wha- are they?"

Garath looked on in shock as the fiends slithered out of the darkness. With the torso and arms of men yet the lower half and heads of serpents. They slid out of the shadows, wicked looking halberds held in their scaly clawed hands. Sammus had called out into the darkness, questioning what lurked out of sight of the heroes. His question was answered with in the form of sinister maws filled with razor sharp fangs. The beasts hissed savagely as they circled the group, each creature seemingly singling out one of the companions. The snake beast that had apparantley chosen Garath eyed the mage hungirly. It's serptine eyes glared at the young man like a hungry predator sizing up prey. Garath returned it's gaze with a bold stare of his own, unafraid of the monster for he had come across many a foul beasts in his journeys into the arcane unknown. He opened his right had and it began to emit a white bluiesh light. The air around the mages hand began to crackle with magical energy as he called lightning into being. The beast snareld and lunged, the spiked halberd primed to sheer Garath's midsection open. Garath extended his hand and released his latenet Will energies. Lightning crackled and shot fourth from the mages hand, striking the wicked beast in the chest. The snake man was shot back as the bolt caught him squarely in the chest and he was sent flying backwards to slam into a tree with bone crunching force. The beast fell to the grass and looked up with a pain filled glare of murderous intent as it's body convulsed from the white hot electrical power coursing through its body. The beast hissed in rage and Garath took a step forward almost inviting it to try again. Garath extended both hands to either side of him, palms facing upwards. In one hand flame sprang to life, burning menacingly. The others called fourth super cooled air in a swirling vortex of icy fury. The spell caster said not a word. He just eyed his target, ready to bring him down in a deadly mix of fire and ice should it attack again.

The serpentine beast hissed, weakness showing in the display of aggression. It's body trembled as the shock from the lightning bolt crippled it's muscles causing them to sporadically twitch. It's eyes struggling to remain conscious. Garath remained steady, his gaze even and measured. The beast mustered the last of it's strength and roared as it's exploded from it's hunched over position and surged forward. Garath reacted almost instantaneously, his hands rotating in an intricate circle together before his hands hovered over each other in front of his chest. The ice and fire fused into a swirling ball of magical fury that Garath released in the next instant. The ball of Will energy shot through the air and imploded on the snake beast, searing flesh and freezing bone all at the same time. The creatures body was flung to the dirt in a destroyed heap of ruined flesh.

Garath turned just in time to see the tail end of another beast chasing after Quil as she raced back towards the camp. They were not but a stones throw away, just outside the wooded area the rest of them were standing in. Garath reacted on instinct and sprinted after them, his thick robes fluttering behind him like the whisps of some spectral avenger. The mage skidded to a stop just as the snake fiend grabbed a firm hold of Quil's throat and began choking the life from her body. Garath only had seconds to react and used those precious moments to call to mind his next spell. He knew he could not risk something as untamed as fire or lightning. The chance of harming Quin was too great. The spell needed sprang to life in Garath's hands as his eyes and Will marks that nearly covered his body radiated with that trademark bluish white ghostly light of a Will user.

The purest light began to glow between the hands of the spell caster. It grew in power and brightness in seconds before a form began to take shape. The light molded itself into the shape of a short sword as it hovered before Garath. The Will blade of pure light rotated in the air before pointing it's edge at the back of the beast. In the next second Garath's hands twitched as his fingers extended rocketing the projectile forward at blinding speed. It sank deep in the back of the beast, piercing through the gut of the monster before disapating into nothingness leaving behind a deep stab wound that was gushing warm blood over the scales of the creature. The monster howled in pain and released Quil, slithering back a step or two in pain before it turned it's serpentine head to glare in fury at the one who had done it such harm.

Sammus's blood ran cold as the piercing words of the unseen evil echoed through the forest. The drew his bow and one arrow and stood firm as he drew it back in wait. Suddenly the snake-men burst forth from the trees and the whole scene happened within an instant. One of the half-breed creatures singled Sammus out and he was separated from the larger group and campfire, pushed back into the trees, backing into the darkness. Sammus gritted his teeth and held his bow firm, just keeping the snake-man at bay. "Move closer and I will shoot" Sammus said sternly, trying to command the creature to stay where it was.

The wind suddenly became cold. The breeze was icy and foreboding, Sammus stepped back again and this time found himself backed against a tree. The snake-man hissed an evil laugh and Sammus watched as it's tongue darted out back and forth. "You areee pathhhetic" it hissed at him, "You willl alll dieee" it hissed again. The creature then lunged at Sammus and without thinking he let the arrow go and it flew right into the creatures gut. The snake-man keeled over and hissed violently, cursing Sammus, "I warned you" he said more bravely, stepping away from the tree and withdrawing another bow. "Stand down or I will kill you." Sammus had always been a man to try and reason first with an enemy if he could.

The snake man writhed in pain as the arrow stuck firm in its gut. But as Sammus was walking around it cautiously, the snake-man grabbed it's halberd and swung violently out at Sammus. He flung back and let his second arrow pierce the creatures shoulder in it's dominant hand. It hissed again, louder this time and cursed Sammus once more, "Who sent you?" Sammus asked angrily, "I don't want to kill you..." he said. The snake-man looked into Sammus's eyes and laughed again, "I'd never tell you who my master was... or where he was you idiot" the snake-man taunted.

Sammus withdrew a third bow from his quiver and pulled it back, aiming at the creatures head, stepping forward as the snake-man hunched over, unable to pick his weapon up, or even move. Suddenly Sammus heard a scream and noticed for the first time the rest of the commotion around the camp. Garath had killed one of the attackers but another had Quil by the throat against a tree. Sammus looked back down to the creature, "Tell me now or I kill you" Sammus yelled at it. Teh creature merely laughed again and looked Sammus in the eyes taunting him once more, "nobleness and righteousness are stupid path to take boy" it hissed at him, "you'll alll dieee" it hissed, "starting withhh her" it said nodding over to Quil.

Sammus looked up, and saw he struggling, but soon was rescued by Garath, who surprised Sammus in that he was a will user. Suddenly the snake-man's fangs glared and he lunged at Sammus in a third attempt at an attack. Sammus was too quick however and released his arrows upon the creature, allowing the arrow to lodge firmly within it's other arm, rendering the creature completely useless. Sammus took the opportunity to sieze the creature and restrain with some rope he had. "you're going to talk" Sammus said grunting as he tied the creatures restraints firmly so it couldn't escape, hoping all the while the others were ok while he restrained this creature.