Whoah! Look at this...look at this. This storyline has made it to a ------------------
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Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
Whoah! Look at this...look at this. This storyline has made it to a ------------------
of
Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
With that Civis leaned back on his hands and looked around the camp to see who would volunteer a fresh idea.
-Civis Romanus
Cian gasped.
"What?" Titanicus asked.
"It's the old stone henge, the place of the sanding sarsens the spirit forces are strong there. Only places like the Isle of Avalon and some parts of Cornwalis and Cymru are more magically charged."
"As I said, " Jayhawk added, "my brother is partial to melodramatics..."
"Well, " Lethargic said, "let's start looking for a way up."
------------------
Homage to thee, Osiris, Lord of Eternity, King of the Gods, whose names are manifold, whose forms are holy, thou being of hidden form in the temples, whose Ka is holy."
-- Book of the Dead (1240 BC)
"What's wrong?" Titanicus asked, going over to her.
Jayhawk put an arm around her shoulders. "It's nothing, really. It's just that, whenever she and Tusky are parted for this long, she gets a tad peevish."
"How 'peevish' does Big Tusky get?" Cian asked.
"Well," Jayhawk shrugged, "...let's put it this way: I wouldn't want to be in my brother's house when that elephant realises Incon's not nearby, and wants his 'goodnight cuddle'."
"I just want him back!!!" Incon wailed, burying her face in the hankie. "I miss my big, boozhee-woozhee babeeee...."
"Your *what*?!?" Legionnaire Lethargic scoffed.
"He's really such a young elephant," Incon sniffled, "...he doesn't know how to fend for himself. He needs his mummy!!!"
"Erm - Incon," Titanicus looked warily at her, "are we talking about the same elephant that breaks down city walls, swings bad guys around with his trunk, ploughs through Pacific Island villages, stomps on enemy heads and drinks like a trooper??"
"Those are just a few of his good qualities," Incon sniffed defensively. "He's really very meek and tame, and I want him back!"
"Okay, game plan everyone," Civis announced. "Looks like we're going to have to pay this Deyhawk character a visit sooner than we'd planned."
"Thanks, guys," Incon smiled. "Let's go right now!!"
"Incon? Incon!" Jayhawk pulled her back to the circle. "You stay where I can keep an eye on you, missy."
Civis crouched down and started drawing a plan in the sand...
Civus thought for a minute and then spoke. "You might be right. Three soldiers, two angels, one wizard, and some female adventurers are not going to last long against hordes of these creatures. What do you suggest?"
Lethargic shrugged his shoulders. "I'm just a dumb grunt, not Sparticus or Julius Caesar. Jayhawk and Incontinentia are the bright ones. Why not ask them? That is if you can get Incontinentia to stop blubbering about Tusky. By Jupiter she treats him like a little baby instead of a full grown male. Wonder what she'd say if she saw what he did when we were on the road in Egypt? The way he was carrying on I'll bet he has kids scattered all up and down the Nile."
Civus laughed. "To her he's always going to be her little baby. Women are like that, all mushy eyed about their pets and kids. Guess that's why we love them so much. Just wish they understood how men work. Sorry about Apolina getting emotional earlier. She just doesn't understand about soldierly camaraderie."
Lethargic smiled. "No problem, women are strange like that. But sometimes it does drives me nuts Civus. Guess that's why I've never gotten a soul mate like your Apolita, or Jayhawk his Incontinentia. Might tie me down too much. Well back to the business at hand. Why don't you ask Jayhawk if he has any ideas?"
As Civus walked over to the rest of the group who had just finished climbing, Lethargic leans over to Flavius and whispers something in his ear. Flavius shakes his head in agreement. It's obvious to the two legionnaires that they have hooked up with a good bunch of travelers, even if they seem at times a little like love struck puppies. Since they were still in Britannia, they wondered exactly how far from Lindum they were. Maybe Lethargic's uncle, the Governor, might give them a hand if they could get word to him. That is if he's was still talking to Lethargic after his last little escapade.
------------------
"Draw him out," said the old man. "Make him come to us personally at Sarum. Then while he is engaged, sneak into his location if it is near there and rescue Titanicus' family."
"How do you propose we do that, Cian?" asked Jayhawk.
"I will pose as Titanicus and make him think I've come to challenge him. Don't worry about how, I'm a sorceror too, you know. When he comes out to meet my challenge, you all will attempt the rescue, led by the real Titanicus. You can pick up Tusky then too and get the elephant's help during the escape." (Incon's face brightened at the mention of rescuing Tusky).
Apolita's face darkened with concern. "Father, you'll be in great danger. I don't want you to do this. You're not a young man anymore."
Cian sighed, "There are things a man must do, young or old. This is one of them, daughter. Our real challenge is to find Deyhawk's lair. We may still need your friend, the Governor, to help us defeat Deyhawk and his minions, Lethargic.
The legionaire nodded his understanding. The others conceded there was no better plan at the moment. Cian said, "So that's what we'll do, unless the circumstances change. I believe everyone is agreed?" Yes, they all were agreed. Cian immediately turned to Titanicus. "Come student, I have one last and final lesson to teach you, and then your education will be complete. It is the most important lesson you will ever learn. Join me now." Titanicus rose to join his master.
_______________________________________
"One request I have for you, Titanicus. See to the wellbeing of my daughter. Be the brother to her she never had. Will you do these things for me?"
Titanicus hesitated only momentarily before answering...
__________________________________________
-Civis Romanus
Titanicus blinked back a tear...
"I will Cian..." He frowned, and walked to Apoltia's Side and put his arm around her shoulder, (the space around her waist was currently being used by Civis' arm) "Good Luck, My good friend," he hugged Cian, and let the rest of the group take their turns saying their farewells and good lucks. Just as Cian walked towards the setting sun to plot out his next event in life, Titanicus Called out, "Cian!" He quickly ran to his side, "Good Luck." He smiled. "You will need it..."
------------------
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Cian joined his hands palm to palm and allowed them to separate slowly. As he did so, a shimmering illumination began to appear around the edges of his body. Then the skin of his face, his arms, hands and other exposed parts of his body began to move and slide and change, first insubstantially and then with a definite purpose. The process of Cian's metamorphosis continued until standing before Titanicus was a mirror image of himself. With his hands fully apart, the old man finished his celtic chanting and smiled.
"Hmmmm, not bad. Haven't done that one in at least 8 years. Not bad at all. Oh, by the way, to locate your family...just use an article given to you by your wife. You know, a ring, an amulet, a sweater, whatever. The spell's on page XXXII of PartL in the Book of Magic. Self-explanatory. I'm going to meet Deyhawk at the Titanicus turned and hastened to get the group up and moving. He had a family to save. ____________________________________
Jayhawk looked around. "Where's Incon?"
"She was here a moment ago..." Civis looked at the bleak landscape.
Before long everyone was walking around, calling Incon's name. "A messenger showed up and gave her a parchment, then went away," Apolita told them. "I haven't seen her since."
"What's that?" Titanicus pointed to a small thatched cottage with lights in the windows, in the distance.
"It looks like an inn," Jayhawk replied. "She might have gone there. Let's go!"
The party walked down the road and entered the inn. There were a few people sitting at the tables - warriors, local barbarian natives, and one student sorceror who recognised Titanicus' robe markings and waved amiably. At the bar sat their friend, looking much the worse for several drinks.
They ran up to her. "Why did you go off like that?" Titanicus asked.
Incon looked up at him blearily, and frowned. It was obvious - not only by her demeanour, but by the dozen or so empty ale mugs lined up in front of her on the bar - that she was definitely 3 sheets to the wind.
"Ungrateful sods...sod Rome, sod Caesar, sod the lot of 'em..." Incon grabbed a fresh mug of mead and knocked it back in one.
"What's wrong with you? We've got Titanicus' family to save!" Civis fumed.
Incon looked up at them. "Don' you get it...? I've been SACKED!!"
"Eh?" Jayhawk picked up the scroll by her elbow and began to read the bad news it announced.
"FIRED!!" Incon shouted, waking the sleeping dwarf in the corner. (He promptly ordered another pint.) "Dismissed...let go...pushed off...given the Golden Handshake...hermmm..." She reached for a full mug.
"It's true," Jayhawk told the others. "This memo is from the Office of Caesar himself. It seems the Council in Rome have decided Londinium doesn't need a Governor, and they've fired Incontinentia. They're sending a Legionary Commander to run the city instead."
"THOSE UNGRATEFUL SWINES!!!" Incon cried. "After all I did for 'em...I made that city what it is!!!"
"One hell of a Lambada-dancing, festival-throwing Party Province??" Civis offered.
"EXACTLY!!" Incon clapped him on the shoulder (and nearly knocked him over). "Wha's life without a party or two? Ya gotta enjoy yer'self! (Hiccup...'scuse me...) Oh, Hades...whad am I gonna do now..."
"But - that can't be right," Titanicus muttered, thinking.
"You're telling ME!!!" Incon agreed drunkenly, knocking back a whisky chaser.
"No - what I mean is, Old Titanicus told us you ran the city for many years. So...that means, at some point in the future Rome's going to give you your old job back! See?"
"Bu' they FIRED me..." Incon slurred, reaching for yet another frothing mug.
Jayhawk stopped her hand. "We've got to sober her up fast. We need her to help us get Tusky and Titanicus' family back."
"Tuuuuuuuuuussssskkkkeeeeeeeeee!!!!!" Incon wailed, grabbing the mug. "How'm I gonna look after my boozzhhee-wooozzhhee babeee now, huh? I won't be able to afford to even feed 'im!" She threw her head down on her arm and started sobbing.
"I have an idea," Titanicus said. "I know a really good sobering-up spell."
"Do it! And let's get out of here!" Civis urged.
Jayhawk sat Incon back up again and made sure she was facing the young sorceror. Titanicus waved his hands around in front of her face and started an incantation. His hands glowed faintly blue.
Suddenly Incon sat bolt upright, and glared. Her eyes started to burn bright red. She looked at Titanicus.
"TELL ME THE NAME OF YOUR ENEMY," she intoned in a frighteningly deep voice.
"Erm...it's Deyhawk, but--"
"I GO TO DESTROY..." Incon stood and marched out of the inn.
"Oh, no..." Titanicus sighed.
"What's wrong?" Apolita asked.
"Well," he shrugged, "I hate to tell you guys this, but the spell for "Sobering Up" is almost identical to the spell for "Turn One Of Your Mates Into A One-Man Killing Machine." I *always* got the two mixed up when I was a student, and...heh, heh...I think I've done it again..."
"So - we've just turned Incon into a mad, drunken murderer and sent her after the guy who nicked your wife and kids??" Civis looked at him. "Hey - I'm impressed..."
"Quick, maybe we can stop her!" Jayhawk headed toward the door.
"Oh, Lordy..." Apolita sighed and followed the others...
(...the dwarf in the corner blearily watched them go, shrugged and ordered another pint...)
"How are we going to stop her?" Titanicus shrugged.
"Maybe Xena could help us..." Ish scoffed
Suddenly Lucy (Xena) kicked a table and approched the group.
"Someone called me?" She said, while trying to speak in her american accent (she is british). Meanwhile Gabriel came and stood next to Xena.
"Is it really you?!" The cherub jumped. He quickly took out a scroll and a pen and pointed it to her.
She took the pen. From all his excitment he pushed her with his left wing. She kicked the wing and Ish fell.
"And what did you wanted?" She asked the group
"KILL DEYHAWK KILL DEYHAWK KILL DEYAHWK" Incon walked around like a zombie.
Civis pointed at her. "She turned into a killing machine" he said.
"Deyhawk is my brother and he kiddnaped Titanicus' wife and kids, and Incon's elephant" Jayhawk explained
"Yes I know. I once had a fight with that guy" Xena smiled at Gabriel.
"So you must know where he lives!" Titanicus was happy
"Yes" she repled. "Follow me"...
Incon remained in her "destroyer" personna, but followed dutifully behind Xena's guiding pace. Members of the troop talked quietly among themselves, except for Ish. He couldn't help staring at Gabrielle all through the hike. Now and again his little wings would elevate and flutter with surprise as Gabrielle again and again did the most unusual things.
It seemed Gabrielle was bathed in intrinsic magic. Remarkably, her image, personality and abilities would shift and change almost at random. At first she gave Ish the impression she was a meek, naive, weak young girl. Then over time as they walked behind Xena, Gabrielle slowly changed into a modestly skilled warrior. Her clothes changed and a weapon appeared in her hands, a staff. She was at first clumsy with it, succeeding in bruising a very tolerant Xena on one occasion. But further along the way, Gabrielle seemed to become as competent as Xena with its use. Indeed, Gabrielle now seemed to have become an amazon herself.
But soon this image changed. Gabrielle's clothes changed to brown sackcloth and she began to preach pacifism. Her staff became an olive branch and she constantly stared at the path before her attempting to avoid stepping in any holes or on any creatures. This lasted for a brief while.
Again she changed. Her hair became short and she again carried a staff, but this time she apologized to whatever she wacked, protesting all the time her need to use the staff in a violent manner. Nonetheless, she swished the staff around so much, so frequently, wacking everything in sight, Xena was forced to halt the march and deal with the wild woman Gabrielle had become.
"Gabrielle, stop it this instant! You are out of control!"
"Oh yeah?! And who says so!"
"Me!" said Xena. "Turn off the magic and stop the chameleon routine. You're confusing the group."
"Sure, and I have no rights around here regardless of the season. Is that what you mean, Xena?" countered Gabrielle.
"Yeah, you have rights: The right to be short, blonde and my sidekick for plot development and comedy relief, nothing else!"
"Welllll...So says you, the high and mighty Amazon Chief of the world. Well I can do whatever I want and so I shall. So there, Xena, Ms. never made it to a real network!"
Jayhawk had become distracted and irritated by the whole goings on. Out of patience he bellowed, "CUT!" The two bickering girl buddies stopped cold and stared at him. Gabrielle turned back to Xena. "I guess we can take our break now. What do you say I meet you over by the oak tree in, say 10 minutes?" asked Gabrielle. "Works for me," replied Xena.
Xena turned to the group. "Hey, why don't you all settle down and take a rest for a moment. Gabs and I are supposed to take a break right now. It's in the union contract, you know. Anyway, see you in a bit."
Off the duo pranced to whatever they typically did during their breaks. Ish stared at them in disbelief...
_____________________________________
Civis Romanus
"What do you think you're doing to that kitten?"
She pointed to a thorn sticking out of the kitten paw.
"IT BLEEDS...WE CAN KILL IT"
"No we can't, " the angel sighed and took the kitten from her hand. With the other he plucked the thorn from it's paw. The kitten stopped mewing and looked at the angel. Jayhawk sighed and put it on his shoulder.
"Stay put"
He turned round and found Incon stamping on a the ground
"DIE, YOU VERMIN!" she shouted.
A closer look revealed some ants scattering beneath her feet.
"This is getting silly, " he muttered under his breath.
"Incon?"
"YOU CALLED?"
"Sleep..." he whispered and caught the girl before she collapsed to the ground. Then he flew back to the camp.
"How long does this spell of you last?" He asked Titanicus.
"It should pass at midnight, " the young mage answered.
"Oh, well, I guess I'll just have to carry her than."
A purring beside his ear got his attention. He picked up the kitten and looked 'round.
"Apolita, could you look after this one? He says his name is "Mighty Hunter of Shadows" but I think he'll accept it if you call him Shady."
The girl took the kitten and folded it into her cape.
"Thank you, Lord Jayhawk, I'll take care of her." She threw him a bright smile.
The angel smiled back and thought,
"Maybe she will keep your mind of things to come..."
"Call Titanicus," the image said. "But you are Titanicus," someone in the troop said. "Call Titanicus," the image insisted.
"I am here, Cian," said a voice to the back of the group and Titanicus stepped forward. "Ohhhh," that's right. Cian looks like Titanicus," someone else said.
"Titanicus, hurry your pace. I am not far from the Stones and will arrive there before tomorrow's sunset. Deyhawk is in the vicinity, but I still do not know where his hideout is located. But there is more..." Cian paused as if drawing in a deep breath to rejuvenate and defeat the tiredness visible in his eyes and on his spell-designed face.
"The new Governor of Lundinium has foolishly led a legion into the area in search of Deyhawk. He doesn't understand the power Deyhawk wields. Many Romans will die if he doesn't use caution. You must get to Deyhawk's hideout and rescue your family soon. Should the legion find it and attack it, there is every reason to believe your family will be slaughtered by one or the other. "Bye, father...I love you," said Apolita quietly to herself. Civis Romanus heard her and slipped an arm around her waist, giving her a squeeze for reassurance; but he felt strangely ill at ease at the sight of the old man's shimmering image and suffering face. Xena and Gabrielle returned. "We best be off. Follow me," said Xena. For once Gabrielle had nothing cute to say in reply and did as she was told. The troop followed immediately. Shady slept in Apolita's cape, nestled in the young woman's arms. -Civis Romanus
HURRY, Titanicus...Hurry....hurry...
__________________________________________
As they walked, Titanicus tryed to Strike up a conversation with Gabrielle. ------------------
"So," he asked, "How did you come to meet Xena?"
She smiled and looked down, "She saved my village once, and I foll,owed after her...I've been at her side ever since." She said, almost melo-dramatically. Titanicus was glad she was talking, he really wanted to talk to her. For some reason, she reminded him of his wife, Niagra,
"I've heard that Xena travels with a bard, a writer or...storyteller, if you will," he tried to get her attention from the ground, to him, "Are you that person?"
She smiled and nodded.
"I love to write to...before I took up magic, when i was but in my later years of childhood, I loved to write, but alas, all my scrolls were lost...when my home was burnt." He furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, "Do you have any of your scrolls with you?" He asked,
"Sure," she smiled, "Would you like to see one?" Titanicus nodded his head,
"Argo," Gabrielle called to Xena's horse, who had been following slowly behind the group, grazing in delight that her human-counterparts slowness allowed her to rest and eat.
Gabrielle clicked her tounge, and the horse neared, she reached into teh saddle bag, and patted the horse,
"You are excused." she smiled to the horse, as it walked away.
"Here you go," she handed the scroll to Titanicus, "It is one where me and Xena--" she stopped, and looked ahead. The group ahead of them had slowed to a stop, and Titanicus and Gabrielle were quick in trying to catch up.
"What is it?" Gabrielle asked Xena, "Why have we slowed."
"We aren't alone," she said dryly, "Someone has been following us the whole time..." She did a backflip, over the after-part of the group, and landed behind them, she scurried into some underbursh along the road, and chopped it in half...
There behind the bush, in a little cowering ball was a heavily armored and armed man. Jayhawk fluttered over, and looked down upon the man...
"Arize," he commanded, "And tell us why you are here."
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"Jokser (is that how you write his name?)!" yelled Garbrielle and gave him a huge. His big armor made a big noise, that made Shaddy wake up.
"Jokser the mighty I am" he said in a low tune ans smiled.
"What are you doing here?" Jayhawk asked him.
"I was attacked my fift... er... one hundred knights, and demons, but I managed to kill them and escap" He had a serious expression on his face, but when Xena looked at him, he lowered his head and told the truth... "I was attacked by three kids". The others sighed. "They had really big sticks!" he yelled.
The group continued walking, with Xena Civis BTL ET and Jayhawk leading them. Ish, Titanicus, Aplotia, Shaddy, Gabrielle and Jokser were behind them. Incon was near them, stamping on grass-hopers, while shouting at them "DIE YOU UGLY CREATURES OF THE DEVIL!"
Gabrielle walked a bit faster to catch up with Titanicus.
"Here are the scrolls" she handed him ten big ancient scrolls. They walked untill it was night. The set up a camp near a lake. Titanicus was still reading about how Xena defeted Calistro time after time, and how they killed Hope, and the time the king of the thieves threw a giant rubby because he thought Meg was Xena... and how Xena and Gabrielle were on the cross, and how Julius Caesar died...
"Those are really interesting stories Gabrielle" he gave the scrolls back to Gabrielle and put his marshmello into the fire. Incon was sitting near him, and she was grumbeling "BURN BURN BURN"...
"When is this going to end Titanicus?" Jayhawk asked.
"Soon..." he looked at his day/night sun watch.
"In three, two, one..."
They all looked at Incon as she fell on the ground. Then immeadiatly she stood up and woke up. "I had bad hangovers in my life... but this is my worst... What happened?" she scratched her head.
The Group looked Incon over, and as they set up camp, regaled her of her days events. Joksar and Ish immediatly ht off with an immediat freindship, and Titanicus also joined their group. Joksar went missing for a few hours that night, but when he returned he had a bushel of flowers for the un-surprised/whooed Gabriel.
"They were on my way..." he smiled lamely.
The next morning they awoke, and were off once again. They reached a large clearing mid-afternoon of that day, and Xena had them stop... ------------------
"Something isn't right..." she said, listening to the sounds of the area, while holding her bulging abdomen...
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She then took out her Chakarum, and pointed it to a tree.
She threw it. It hit the tree, another tree, then another tree, and then hit something on the tree. A man fell down from there. The chakarum hit Joksar on the head, and then it came stright to Xena's hands. As soon as the unknown man hit the ground, a large group of pirats, protecting a small group of priests dressed in black. "Deyhawk's priests!" Gabriel shouted and took out her weapon. Then Xena, Civis, and the others who had a weapon. Joksar tried to pull out his sword, but when he finally did, he pulled it so hard it hit his head, and that caused him to pass out. Titanicus enchanted some magic words, and made a big blue ball of energy with his hands. Jayhawk flew around the pirats distracting them. Titanicus shot the ball, and soon started making another one. It hit the ground, and caused many of the pirats to fly from the impact...
A loud noise caught his ear...horse hoofs, metal clashing with metal...and into view came a most unusual sight. A man of metal riding a horse. In his right hand he held a long wooden shaft, twice as long as the man was tall, with a pointed end. At his side he carried a long, wide sword.
"Magician! I am here to end your days on this land."
"Who sent you?" asked Cian/Titanicus.
"My master, Deyhawk."
"What manner of thing or person are you?"
"I am a shade from the future you will never see ere this day is done. I am called the Dark Knight and with good reason. Behold!" At this, the silver grey armor of the Knight suddenly changed into ebony black, all sheen gone. The edges were tinged in red that seemed to flow line into line, like rivers of the reddest blood.
Without another word, the Dark Knight lowered his lance and kneed his horse into action. The horse responded by advancing its step into a ponderous gallop. The horse was very large; needfully so due to the weight of the armored man it carried on its back.
Cian/Titanicus thought quickly. Can't fight both the man and the horse. Must unseat him. Possible spells passed through his mind as he stared at the Knight bearing down on him over the narrow tree-lined path. TREE-LINED! "That's it!" he exclaimed. Cian/Titanicus closed his eyes, clenched his fists and began speaking in Celtic. Trees began to vibrate and sway on both sides of the path in front of the onrushing Dark Knight. Finally, two trees, one on each side of the path, teetered and fell directly in front of the Knight; the fall timed perfectly so that the horse struck one tree with its muscled neck and the other tree struck the Dark Knight across his armored chest.
Horse went down and rider went down. The horse didn't regain its feet. Its neck was broken. The armored knight struggled to rise. The weight of his armor held him down.
Cian/Titanicus unclenched his fists and slammed his hands together, palm to palm. "Back to the fires from which you came, beast of Deyhawk." Firebolts leaped from his hands and struck the downed knight where he lay. Once black, his armor began to glow with heat, first red, then white. His curses and screams split the air. "My master will avenge me, Titanicus! The day is not over yet! You will never see tomorrow!" Then bathed in blinding white light, the Dark Knight simply melted, armor into man, man into vapor.
"We'll see about that," muttered the old man. "Ahhh, he called me Titanicus. Excellent! The ruse continues to work. Deyhawk still doesn't know our plan. Excellent, excellent. So now we continue."
With that, the old man resumed walking up the path towards the Stones and his confrontation with Deyhawk.
______________________________________
The group walked on in a sullen mood for awhile, only minor whisperings between the two seperate groups of Ish and Joksar, and Gaberian and Titanicus. Suddenly on the path less than 5 yards ahead, a shape apeared, the shape began to clow and quickly materialized into a large group. THey all collapsed, bound and tied, gagged at the mouth. They looked at our travelers with fear as they realized they were out of the hands of the two bandits. Gabriel yelped and ran to the nearest person, a young man, clean shaven and sandy-haired. She pulled down the gag and began to untye his arms and legs (hogtied), as she did so she spoke, ------------------
"What happened?" she asked, nodding with her head to the group to come and help with the other free'd-hostages,
"Where are you from?" She finished untying the mans knots, and he stood up and letthe blood flow to his limbs return...
"We are a group of travlers." Was his response. "We were abandoning ours homes on the Isle of Celtia, we were hoping to catch a ride off of this island on an outgoing ship, but we were ambushed by a large group of bandits, they took our things, and us along with them..." he trailed off, as his eyes fell upon Titanicus,
"You!" He smiled and ran to him, hugging him,
"Thank you--so much foir saving us!" Tears ran down the mans face, as Titanicus gave his group a knowing looked that seemed to say 'Cian did this.'
The man let go of Titanicus, and then looked down,
"We've lost all our things..." he frowned, "The bandits took them..." Suddenly, a small child fromt the group yelped, "LooK! Our Things!" and she ran to one of the nearest carts, pulling a small doll from it, "They are back!" she giggled with delight as the rest of her group ran and began checking over their things...
The man looke dback to Titanicus,
"Thank you--so much." He smiled through the tears of happiness, "Please now, If you would just point us in the way of the nearest dock..." Titanicus pointed down the Road south where they had come from,
The man nodded to Titanicus, and he and his group then left down the road, pulling their handcarts behind them as they went...
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"You got stonkingly loaded at the inn, then Titanicus turned you into a one-man killing machine," Jayhawk told her.
"I *was* trying to sober you up," Titanicus mumbled.
"But - why would I want to get totally hammered in the midst of a dangerous quest? Oh - oooohhh, my job..." She looked down at her shoes.
"Don't worry, Incon," Civis remarked, "I'm sure there are plenty of good jobs for an able-bodied governor. You could always start up a Lambada Dance School."
"Or an Elephant Taxi Service," Ishaius suggested.
Incon shrugged, nodded, and looked over to the warrior princess and her blonde companion. "Hi, Gabrielle," she smiled.
"Hi, Incon! Glad you're feeling better." Gabrielle gave a little wave.
"You know this...person?" Xena asked.
Gabrielle nodded. "You remember, those Lambada lessons I took last year? Incontinentia was my class's teacher."
Xena scowled. "You mean that ridiculous, bucking, flailing, hip-swaying dance you love to do, where the man bends the woman all the way backwards--"
"There's nothing wrong with a good Lambada," Incon informed her, and turned to Gabrielle. "How's your double-back-twist?"
"Still needs a little work," Gabrielle replied.
"Why does she always seem to smell faintly of elephant?" Xena whispered to Gabrielle.
"It's a long story," Gabrielle whispered back.
Just then, they heard the sound of hammering further down the road. They decided to check it out, and found a man nailing an announcement to a signpost. Titanicus leaned forward to read it in the gathering dusk.
"TONIGHT AND TOMORROW - AUCTION," he read aloud. "ON THE BLOCK: A GOODLY SALE OF SHEEP, CATTLE, FOWL, GOOD HUNTING DOGS, PACK MULES, INDENTURED SERVANTS, AND ONE ELEPHANT--"
"One *WHAT*?!?!?!?" Incon shrieked.
"--Large male Carthaginian Grey," Titanicus continued, "Handsome tuskage, tamed for riding, answers to the name of--"
"TUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" Incon wailed. She grabbed the little man hanging the notice by his jacket lapels, lifted him off his feet and slammed him against the signpost. "TELL ME WHERE THEY'RE KEEPING THE ELEPHANT - NOW," she fumed. Her eyes glowed red.
"Uh-oh," Civis whispered, "I think that spell's starting to take hold again."
"No, not at all," Jayhawk shook his head. "She *always* gets like that when one of her elephants is in danger. Especially the Big Guy."
The little man squirmed under her glare, and pointed toward a little town in the distance. "In the stables behind the Auction House," he gasped. Incon dropped him like a sack of potatoes.
"How did the Auctioneers acquire him?" Titanicus asked.
"From The Great Lord Deyhawk," the man replied, shakily getting up. "It seems our Lord Deyhawk couldn't control the beast. It totally trashed the inside of his castle--"
"That's my boy," Incon beamed with pride.
"--before draining Our Master's entire beer and wine supply. So Lord Deyhawk gave him to the Auction."
"Guys?" Incon looked at the group. "I know I should stick with you and help you find Titanicus' family, and defeat this Deyhawk twit, but - he's my big baby boy, and he needs me..."
"Understood," Titanicus put a hand on her shoulder. "You go to the Auction and get him back. Who knows, we'll probably need his help from here on."
"I'll go with you," Jayhawk offered.
"That's so kind of you," Incon smiled gratefully.
"Well - *somone's* got to keep an eye on you," Jayhawk replied. Incon cocked an eyebrow at him.
Together they set off for the nearby town while the rest of the party carried on toward Deyhawk's Dark Castle...
"So, how is your rock band going?" Jayhawk smiled
"What rock band?!" Incon looked at him with an odd expression.
"Err... nothing..." he quickly said. He didn't want to tell her what is her future (taken from the Pharaoh story in the Pharaoh forum).
As they arrived to the gates of the town, they saw the british legion, with the new appointed governor as their general. He say Incon and ran to her.
"He he, What is the ex-governor of Londinum doing here?" he grined and laughed. Incon looked at the general with her most serious look.
"Incon... think before what you do" Jayhawk warned her.
"What happened? your lost elephant bite your tong?" he laughed
"How do you know that my elephant is lost?" she asked him.
"Lets say, I bought him..." he looked back and pointed at a large angry elephant, dressed with iron plates and a soldier standing on top of him.
"TUUUUUUUUSSSSSSKEEEEEE!" she gasped.
"You sir, remind me of my ex-neihbour!" she looked at Jayhawk with a look that told him "Let me do something to him'. Jayhawk thought for a moment and shruged. Incon smiled. She took her hand all the way back and with all her power she hit the general. He crashed on the floor and cried out of pain. His assistance looked at her, and then at his general. He gave her the key to Londinum.
"We have decided..." he looked at the general "I decided to let you have your job back". Incon jumped when she heard the good news.
"But we are keeping to elephant" he announced
"What!?" she grabbed him and gave him a mean look
"If you have 1,000 DN then he's yours. That's how much we paid for him." he said.
"How are we going to get 1,000 DN?" asked Jayhawk
"Oh very well Lethargic, the elephant is yours", says the General, "but the armor is ours." The handler begins to remove the plate armor from Tusky. Lethargic checks the purse and goes over to the handler. A quick 200 dinarii changes hands and Tusky is left in his plate armor. You never know when armor can come in handy. Lethargic leads the freed Tusky over to Incontinentia. Actually it's more like Lethargic gets dragged over to Incontinentia by an over eager Tusky.
"Here you go Incon. Figured I owed you that much after Egypt. Now don't misplace him again. And for crying out loud, Incontinentia hugs Tusky as tears run down her smiling face. "I got my widdle baby back. I missed you so much. How's my widdle boozy-woozy. Did you miss your mommy too?" Lethargic throws his hands up in despair and walks away, muttering to himself. "Women! You can't do without them and you can barely live with them. I give up!!" Meanwhile Flavius Equis comes back to the group after talking the legion's general. "I've convinced General Rocks for Brains over there to hang back with his legion and be on call in case we need him. I promised him and his legion free tickets to next Sunday's elephant wrestling match in Londinium." Jayhawk gives a puzzled look to Incontinentia. "You have elephant wrestling in Londinium? I would never have thought that you, of all people, would allow elephants to get harmed in your own city." Before Incontinentia can answer, Lethargic walks over to Jayhawk and whispers in his ear. Jayhawk's eyes first widen and then he breaks out in a smile. "Oh yes, those elephant wrestling matches. I quite forgot. Sorry!" Jayhawk looks in true pain biting his tongue to keep from laughing out loud. Titanicus and the others glance at each other with puzzled looks while wondering why in the world those fools are talking about wrestling matches? ------------------
That night Titanicus awoke with Night-Terror. His dream had been of his family. He and his group had been tooken hostage by the Lord Deyhawk, and he had been thrown into the dungeon with his family and neighbors. He and his family were called out, and Titanicus was forced to watch as each of them were killed, there throats slit...he awoke Gabriel who had been laying across the fire-pit from him. She came over and he told her of his dream. She helped him to feel better by telling him a story by the fireside...oh how much she reminded him of his wife, Niagra. He began to feel better and he let Gabriel go back to bed...but even as he lay his head back down on his mat, he heard his children whimper as their mother's throat was slit, and her last raspy-gasp for breath, before she crumpled into a heap on the cold-stone floors... When the group awoke the next morning, Titanicus had no recolection of their dream. After a short morning-meal, they were off. An hour later, Xena pulled them off the path, and into a small footpath, barely suitable for two to stand abreast. It led them down a dark ravine, then back up the other side. When they emerged from the other side of the dark wood, they were on another, much less worn (than the main) path. They continued down that for about another hour, when Xena stopped the group just as they came over a rise. There, in the valley, surrounded by clouds and mist...was the silloette of Deyhawk's Castle... They hunkered down in a cave just off the path, waiting for some kind of sign, that Cian/Titanicus was ready... ------------------
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She looked up at their puzzled expressions. "Well?" she shrugged. "This armour chain mail was chafing him. He was uncomfortable. Er...could someone give me a hand here?"
Xena strode forward and, with one swift thrust, managed to get the entire metal kit off Tusky's back and sides. "I just have to ask," the warrior princess said, "...why do you hang around such...smelly animals?"
"I take it you've never befriended an elephant before," Incon replied.
Xena shook her head. Tusky gave her a disparaging look.
"You don't know what you're missing," was all Incon could say.
"That's all very well," Lethargicus said, "but what about all this elephant armour? It could well come in handy!"
Without a word, Titanicus started brewing a verbal spell. He waved his blue-glowing hands, and a small handcart appeared before them. "You could put it in that," he said.
"Lovely! But who's going to pull it?" Civis asked, looking towards Tusky.
Tusky glared at him.
"Never mind..." Civis went back to chatting with Apolita.
Just then, Tusky trumpeted. "What's wrong, mooshy-wooshy elephana-nana-nana?" Incon (who hadn't entirely come out of mothering mode) asked.
Tusky pointed his trunk towards the castle. Incon looked in that direction, then turned toward Titanicus. "I think he's located your family."
Titanicus leapt up, faint memories of his nightmare still burning in his mind. "REALLY???" he asked.
Incon nodded. He must have spent some time with them in that castle. Once he picks up a scent, there's no shifting him."
Jayhawk stood up. "I'll bet that, once we get inside the grounds, Tusky could take us straight to the place they're being kept."
Tusky nodded vigorously and pointed harder.
"It seems the time for action has arrived!" Jockser cried triumphantly.
Everyone looked at him, and cocked an eyebrow.
"Well...you know...I mean...heh, you know how it is...but, the elephant's so sure..." he mumbled to himself and looked away.
"If we don't do something soon, he's going to pop me on his back and start trotting," Incon told them. "Jayhawk - remember Egypt? Aton's Temple? What a farce that was..."
"You got to dance with a *god*, as I recall..." Jayhawk reminded her.
"All our lives hung in the balance..." Incon sniffed.
Tusky started stamped his forelegs.
"Okay - game plan, people!" Civis clapped his hands. "What's our next move?!"
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