Whoah! Look at this...look at this. This storyline has made it to a ------------------
of
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!
Lethargic and Flavius finally crawl up to the base of the castle. "Why do I always get the sneaky jobs. I don't care what the others think Flavius. I am not a thief. I just think of myself as a highly inventive capital ventures person." The two legionnaires scout out the south side of the castle and notice a small grated entryway at ground level in the middle of the wall. "Looks like our way in", whispers Lethargic.
The two legionnaires crawl up to the wall and silently pry off the metal grating. Looking inside the small dark passage they realize it must be part of the heating system of the castle. As Lethargic begins to crawl inside Flavius whispers, "If this is a heating system, why isn't there any hot air?" Lethargic whispers back, "Who would turn on the heaters in Celtia in the middle of the summer. Come on, it's safe. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. But watch your step in here. I think I've found out why Dreyhawk and his men act so mad." Lethargic reaches down and picks up one of the large gray rodents that are running up and down the passage. "Looks like rats in the water supply to me!" The two scouts continue to move further down the passage listening and looking for anything they can observe.
A few minutes later, unbeknown to the two scouts, a large human figure that has been following the two since they entered the valley crawls into the entrance of the passage and continues to silently follow the two legionnaires.
Meanwhile.....
"We don't want to just march into that castle, like we own the place... we would surely be killed! We need to wait for Cian to distract Deyhawk, and after that I am sure we will be able to handle the guards..."
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Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
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Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
"So the fools are attempting to enter my castle through the north gate. My men will hold them long enough for me to conjure up the demons I need to finally finish them just as I have planned all along."
Lethargic and Flavius finish removing the grate and begin to crawl out of the fireplace to get to Dreyhawk. Just then the grating clatters to the flood. Dreyhawk turns in time to see the two legionnaires emerging from the fireplace. "Who the hell are you?" shouts Dreyhaw.
Lethargic holds up the sewer rat and says, "Oh we're just the inspectors from the Celtia Department of Public Works. Do you know you have rats in your water supply?"
"Not buying it Legionnaire", replies Dreyhawk as he casts a spell on the curtain cords by the window. The cords fly across the room and proceed to tie up both Lethargic and Flavius. "Now before you die, tell me where are the others?"
At that moment a huge fur-caped figure with eyes ablaze with anger exits the fireplace and bellows out, "I've got a bone to pick with you!"
Lethargic shakes his head. "Oh for crying out loud Hannibal, what else is new? Can't you see I'm a little tied up at the moment. Take a number and get in line."
"I'm not talking to you, you idiot, I'm talking to HIM", shouts Hannibal as he points at Dreyhawk. "What in Hades did you do with my boat?" And with that Hannibal reaches under his cape and pulls out jars of oxblood soup which he starts throwing at Dreyhawk. As the jars go flying across the room, they begin to bounce off the ceiling and walls as Dreyhawk casts spells to deflect them. Soup begins to cover everything.
Just then the door explodes and Tusky charges into the room. As Dreyhawk turns to see what new threat has arrived, one of Hannibal's jars nails Dreyhawk in the back of the head. The wizard staggers and slips on the pool of soup that surrounds him, falling to the ground. Lethargic quickly looks at Tusky and yells, "Routine Number 10."
At Lethargic's queue Tusky jumps into the air, does two back flips (with a triple toe loop) and lands directly on the wizard. Lethargic, Flavius, and Hannibal walk over to the now thoroughly flattened and definitely deceased wizard and stare. "Boy that had to really hurt", blurts Lethargic. "He sure made a pretty pattern though."
Just then Dreyhawk enters the room with the rest of the troop. Lethargic quickly begins to talk to Jayhawk.
"Sorry Jayhawk but we really didn't have a choice", says Lethargic. "We had to kill him."
Jayhawk continues to stare down at the dead wizard and says, "That's all right."
Flavius quickly adds, "I mean we know he's your brother and all but we really didn't have a choice."
Jayhawk looks up at the others. "No it's really all right. You don't understand. That is not my brother. He looks a lot like him but he is definitely not my brother. I wonder who he is, I mean was."
As Jayhawk begins to untie the legionnaires Hannibal shouts out "Look the body is changing!" The image of the dead wizard's face begins to shimmer and fade to reveal the dead man's real identity.
"I'll be damned. Oh Titanicus, boy wonder with the magic learners permit. Get your butt over here. I think we found your bubba Cian for you!"
Titanicus rushes over as Lethargic points to the dead wizard. Titanicus can only blurt out, "Cian?" ------------------
Gleeful laughter filled the air.
A disembodied face formed and shimmied in the air above the invaders gathered in the chamber. Tusky trumpeted in anger and alarm. "Like my little joke?" sneered Deyhawk.
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Hours earlier, near the Stones:
"So Titanicus, you poor excuse for a sorceror; you think you can defeat me in my own lair? Not likely, toad! Toad? Now that's an idea." Deyhawk struck first, casting a changeling spell at Cian/Titanicus. The Celtian became a toad.
Light flashed from the toad's eyes. Deyhawk became a slug and Cian regained his form. The slug slimed, twisted and turned. Blue sparks flashed from its head. Cian became a rat with a green tail. Deyhawk changed back. The rat scurried behind a boulder and transformed into Cian.
Three firebolts coursed over the boulder charging straight for Deyhawk. He twisted and turned. Two missed him. The third hit him squarely in the chest. His vest burst into flames and his chest began to glow. Deyhawk closed his eyes slammed his fists into his shoulders and forced the glow to subside.
Furious, the brother of Jayhawk elevated himself above Cian and cast every manner of spell he could conjure at the disguised sorceror. Cian deftly deflected or escaped every charged spell sent his way. He began to laugh, thinking how pathetic the great Deyhawk's magic seemed to be.
"Laugh, fool. You won't be laughing when I destroy your family and friends! I think I'll start with your wife, a knife across her throat. Then your children, dropped down a well maybe...and your friends..that swordsman who annoys me so much...and his intended. What's her name, oh yeah, Apolita. I know some wolves who need feeding and would love to have her over for dinner!
Immediately, Cian lost all feelings of mirth. Reaching deep into his repetoire of spells he found the most painful he could conceive. Gathering the last of an old man's strength he closed his eyes and began chanting in Celtic. He joined his fists, focused their tension on the figure of Deyhawk and let go their power straight at the dark caped evil Lord.
Deyhawk was slammed to the ground, pummeled, lacerated, charred and nearly decapitated by the fury behind the spells. He would have ended his days there, but for the sudden end of the flurry of spells.
Deyhawk painfully looked up at Cian/Titanicus. The old man stood still, shock in his eyes. Cian reached back to cast one final, weak spell at the red caped minion of Deyhawk hidden in the Stones who had let go the arrow into his back.
The spell hit rock, but not the man. Cian fell forward and crashed into the ground, the notched end of the arrow in his back pointing to the sky. Cian's eyes closed one last time and a death laden whisper escaped from his mouth. "Take...care...of......her......Civis......Titanicus."
Cian/Titanicus became Cian once more. Deyhawk rose in triumph, which soon turned to anger and fear. "That is not Titanicus! That's the old man! How could I be so foolish!
You, take my place in my chamber till I return." He cast a spell at the red caped minion. The spell changed him into a facsimile of Deyhawk and caused him to disappear from the Stones and reappear in Deyhawk's chamber. No need to prompt him, he knows his role, thought Deyhawk. Now to heal these wounds and watch the game.
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Hours later...
The man who was not Deyhawk, nor Cian, transformed once more. He became a flattened man with a red cape. The etherial laughter of Deyhawk filled the room once more.
"I've finished with your old man mentor, Titanicus. Now its time to deal with you!"
Apolita buried eyes filled with tears in Civis' shoulder. One arm around Apolita, Civis'other arm searched for his sword as hate and determination filled his mind.
"But first some entertainment," sneered the disembodied face. The doors burst open and Deyhawk's soldiers entered the room en masse.
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Civis Romanus
The fight was ferocious and the travelers were slowly being pushed back when suddenly the sound of a Roman trumpet was heard from the castle courtyard. The Londinium legion had arrived and began attacking Dreyhawk's men from the rear. Now being surrounded, the morale of the minions of Dreyhawk evaporated. What had seemed like an easy victory was turning into a bloody defeat. Those that were left fled from the room running for their lives.
"That was a little too close for comfort", remarked Lethargic. "At least we survived it."
"Barely" added Civis. "But it's not over, we still have to face Dreyhawk himself."
"But what about my wife?" asked the now exhausted Titanicus.
Tusky was jumping up and down trying to get everyone's attention. Incontinentia was the first to notice and asked the elephant what he was so excited about. The only response from Tusky was more jumping while pointing at the floor with his trunk.
"I think he's trying to tell us something about the floor", said Lethargic. "If you'll kindly move Tusky, I'll take a look."
As Tusky moved off to the side, everyone noticed the trapdoor he had been jumping on. Grabbing the ring on the door Lethargic raised it to discover all the missing hostages chained to the wall of the castle's dungeon. The group quickly unchained them and brought them up into the room. After much tearful rejoicing, Civis spoke.
"Although we have recovered the hostages, this affair is not over. Dreyhawk must still be confronted or we will never now any peace. But we cannot allow our friends and family to follow us on this dangerous quest. I want Lethargic, Flavius and Hannibal to take our family and friends to Londinium and wait for us there. The legion should provide enough security for the trip if you are with them. The rest of us will then be free to confront Dreyhawk and finish this once and for all."
Lethargic and Flavius reluctantly agree to leave the group and begin preparing for the departure. Hannibal continues to rant about his boat. Civis tells Hannibal that the boat is at Londinium. Hannibal quickly agrees to go there to retrieve it. As everyone exchanges farewells Lethargic pulls Titanicus to one side.
"You know, this whole affair will not be finished until you personally confront Dreyhawk. It's you who he's really after. The longer you delay confronting him, the more powerful he will become. I give you my pledge to keep your family safe in Londinium until you return for them. Concentrate on quickly destroying the menace of Dreyhawk once and for all before everyone else is destroyed."
After saying their farewells, Lethargic and Flavius quickly form up the legion and with Hannibal scouting the way leave with the family and friends of the group. After they have passed out of site, Titanicus steps forward to speak to the remaining adventurers. ------------------
"Lethargic is right, my friends. He says its really between Deyhawk and me. So I'll have to confront him and..." But Titanicus was interrupted by the floating image of Deyhawk's face. "Sure, island magician, you think you can defeat me. You know where I am. Right next to your fallen mentor. I'll be waiting. And when you get here I'll..." Deyhawk's expression changed and his disembodied floating head turned to his right. What was brazen superiority changed to an expression of fear. Then in silence his face disappeared. "That was strange," said Titanicus. "Jayhawk, what do you suppose...where's Jayhawk? Jayhawk, are you here? Jayhawk!" _______________________________________________ At the Stones: Deyhawk was sitting on a boulder near the lifeless body of Cian. He was concentrating so hard on projecting the image of his face that he didn't notice the silent arrival of another figure to his right near one of the upright stones. At least, not until the figure spoke to him. "Hello, Brother," said Jayhawk, leaning casually on the stone. Deyhawk lost concentration immediately and snapped his head to the right. "Uh,uh Jayhawk...Uh,you're here. How did you...never mind, it doesn't matter. What do you want?" "In a moment, Brother." Jayhawk looked over to the prone body of Cian. The angel's eyes turned the deepest blue and moistened noticeably. He blinked slowly, deliberately, but not too long to lose sight of Deyhawk nor any movement on the Dark Lord's part. The arrow in Cian's back faded from sight. The wound closed and all traces of blood disappeared. Cian's face relaxed its frozen expression of pain and assumed a pleasant, more restful expression. Soft, scented moss and grass grew immediately under the body, lifting it from the hard dirt below. Flowering plants erupted from the ground and promptly bloomed, framing Cian in a colorful display of breeze driven movement, contrasting with the lifeless nonmovement of the fallen sorceror. "Want a herbal, Brother?" asked Jayhawk. "Uh, sure." Jayhawk reached into his shirt, pulled out a herbal and tossed it to Deyhawk. The Dark Lord caught it in two shaking hands. He placed one end in his mouth, preparing to light the other. Jayhawk continued, "Let me light it for you, Brother...You Deyhawk stood there, stunned. The herbal was a cylinder of ash hanging from his charred lips. His facial hair and eyebrows were gone. His nose looked like a burned tree stump. Smoke curled from what had been the hair over his forehead. Deyhawk slowly looked down at his front and feet. His clothes were ruined and his toes were still on fire. He stomped on each set of toes with the base of the opposite foot until all of the little flames were extinguished. "But I didn't kill him, Jayhawk! It was one of my followers," pleaded Deyhawk. "One of your followers? Then you are accountable, Brother," retorted Jayhawk. "If you had not permitted the mortal wound or given me the chance I or you could have healed him. But no, you had your way and you liked it as it was. Now you have a rendevous with your judge and executioner." "But Brother, like you I am immortal. I cannot be killed." "There are other ways to deal with the likes of you, Deyhawk. And to you it will seem like death. Now...for the meeting you sought with Titanicus. This time, you will confront the real sorceror of Celtia." Jayhawk's eyes flamed yellow and red and the angel nodded his head. Vines shot from the ground quickly wrapping Deyhawk in an unbreakable set of magic bindings. The angel promptly strided to his bound up brother and picked him up, roughly, by the shredded remains of his black cape. Airborne, Jayhawk flew straight for Deyhawk's fortress and dropped him from a great heighth right into the courtyard, directly before the gathered group and 5 yards from Titanicus. All Deyhawk could do in flight was heal his burns with what little magic he could muster. Now on the ground in the courtyard, he saw no escape was possible. Jayhawk patrolled the sky above and Titanicus' quick reaction enclosure spell sealed them all into an escape-proof dome. "Titanicus," called down Jayhawk. "I present to you Deyhawk, the The two antagonists faced each other. Both knew the final contest was nigh... ___________________________________________
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No answer. "Where is he?" they asked each other.
Deyhawk started to laugh.
"What's so funny!?" bellowed Titanicus.
"Freed your family, have you?"
"Yes, they're safe."
"With whom, the Legion? Guess again, island magician. At Londinium's gate they'll find they have a whole collection of transformed zombies. My little helpers will simply decompose in front of the Legion's very eyes. Your family is still mine. What will you do about it, little toy sorceror."
Deyhawk guffawed in mocking mirth. Titanicus struggled to control his emotions and think clearly. Where can they be, he asked himself. Where can they be...
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Civis Romanus
Titanicus circled the entwined body of the once powerful dark-angel. He glared at him.
"Give Back my family you dirty, arrogant son of a...B"
He was stopped by the Call from Jayhawk above,
"Whoah!" He cried, "She was my mum too!" Before fluttering up into the rafters and watching eagerly to see what was about to happen next. Titanicus looked to his group of friends, all over in a dark corner, wide eyed and watching. Titanicus winked to Gabriel and she came out and joined him, he whispered something in her ear, and then she scampered away. She grabbed the rest of the group, and they quickly retreated up a flight of stone steps...to a balcony above the courtyard, so they could watch from a more--safe view. Titanicus pulled his book (literally) out of thin air, and began flipping through its pages, every other moment looking up with hate and anger into Deyhawks frozen eyes...He glanced up, and nooded to Gabriel. She disapeared from his sight, and he continued flipping through his book. Gabriel apeared next to him,
"It's ready," she whispered into his ear, "Shall I get it?" she asked,
Titanicus gave a mere nod and continued rappidly flipping through his book, as Gabriel scampered back into the dark room ajacent to the courtyard. She returned with a large vat... filled with a bubbling red liquid, she hadned it to him, and then ran back to the stiars, and up them to the group.
Titanicus filled a large, jewled goblet with the substance, and held it to Deyawks face,
"Drink it." He commanded in a tone that dared the Dark Being to try him--
Deyhawk closed his eyes,
"What is it?" He asked, resentment in his voice.
"I Said...drink it," Titanicus freed one of Deyhawks hands, and shoved the goblet into them,
"
Just as he was about to take a Gulp, Deyhawk's eyes suddenly flashed red, he trhew the cup down, onto the vines that entwined him...they sizzled and disinagrated.
"Never!" He rasped, before disapeareing in a poof of smoke. When it cleared, he was gone...
The group from above ran down the stairs and to Titanicus' side.
Just then, the ground began to rumble and quake. APiltia screamed and clung to Civis' side..
"C'mon!" shouted Titanicus, over the roar of the collapsing castle,
"We need to find Deyhawk's Dungeon!" He led the group out of the courtyard... and down a stone corridor. Apoltia whimpered when she looked down and saw that the stones beneath them were quaking and rattling so much that they had started to drift apart from each other...enough so you could see glowing red beneath them...just then, Xena, at the front of the group, stopped quickly...the corridor in front of them was collapsing in on itself! The walls crubled and fell in on the dark passageway, and they were falling closer and clsoer to the group,
"Back!" Shee shouted, Shoving Gabriel and Titanicus forward, "Go Back!" She screamed, as they rean back, and piled out into the courtyard...where stones were beginning to rain fall from the crumbling walls... The group was trapped...all the corridors leading out from teh Courtyard were falling in...suddenly the stones beneath the group began to fall inward...and down...
Apoltia screamed...and then...everything was quiet, let alone the every-now-and-again pitter or patter of a falling rock...
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Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
Suddenly the ground began to shake while off in the distance a great cloud of dust rises in the direction from which they have just marched. The legionnaires barely keep their feet as the shaking subsides. The ex-hostages however seem to stand rock steady amidst all the turmoil.
"Now that's real interesting Flavius', whispers Lethargic. He then shouts orders out to the legion.
"Form a protective battle square!' The legion forms into a square formation protecting the ex-hostages in the middle. "Face INWARDS!" yells Lethargic. The soldiers turn. Lethargic walks over, picks up the detached head of Titanicus's wife and tosses it to Flavius. "Take a closer look at it!" Flavius looks in horror at the head when suddenly the face begins to shimmer and fade revealing the rotted head of a body long dead. Flavius drops the head and shouts "A zombie. How did you know?" Lethargic answers "Titanicus told me. Before we left he told me that even though the hostages looked like their friends and relatives, something was wrong. He told me to keep a close eye on them and head to Londinium as planned but to be on guard. Once the quake hit it confirmed my suspicions of what they really were. Dreyhawk seems to like playing his little mind games." After a huddled meeting it's decided that the legion should return to Londinium as planned and to make as much noise along the way as possible to hide the fact that Dreyhawk's plan had been exposed. Hannibal decides to return with the legion to Londinium to get his boat, saying he's had enough of this. After Flavius and Lethargic watch Hannibal the legion march off, they turn back towards Dreyhawk's castle and begin to march. As they walk Lethargic starts swearing under his breath. "Good for nothing (expletive deleted) wizards. Go this way, go that way, change this, change that. Flavius I definitely want to kill something and I'm not taking about zombies. I'm getting awful tired of all this!" ------------------
Lethargic and Flavius look as the detached head of the little girl in the red cape shimmers and changes into yet another dead Dreyhawk Minion. Lethargic wipes his sword with the cape and returns it to his scabbard.
"How many imposters does that make Flavius. I've lost count? Nineteen or twenty?" Lethargic asks.
Flavius responded "Actually Twenty-three. At this rate we'll never get back to the castle."
"Are you sure it's up to twenty-three?" responded Lethargic. " I remember that little girl from Kansas, her dog, a scarecrow, a tin man, that mangy lion, a Tinker-something, a girl named Wendy, eight flying kids, a stuffed bear, tiger and kangaroo, and that huffing and puffing wolf. With Red here that only makes twenty!"
"You're forgetting those three little pigs" replied Flavius. "That's twenty-three."
Just then a giant wolf dressed in granny clothing leaps from the bushes. "My turn" yells Flavius as he draw his sword and quickly decapitates the animal whose head instantly shimmers to reveal yet another minion. "Make that twenty-four. I was wondering when he was going to show up."
"No, that's actually twenty-five" answered Lethargic. "I just remembered that alligator with the clock. By the way, I'm adopting a new religious philosophy starting right now. From now on it's I.I.M.K.I."
"Iimki? What's Iimki?" asked Flavius.
Lethargic replied. " The two legionnaires continued their gothic horror fairyland tour to the castle. ------------------
Titanicus looked up...he...was in pain. His head...it was cut...where was he? He was groggy...it-- was dark--so tired.
Apoltia dug herself out of the rubble...Civis was on top of her...asleep? She pushed him off...he was bleeding. Suddenly it all came back to her. The floor collapsed out from under them, and he had jumped in front of her, to try to protect her...his armor had taken the beatings pretty well...she felt his neck. He was still alive. That was good. She looked around...she saw Titanicus, her life-long friend, lying about a yard away-- she pushed her legs free, and stood up. She climbed over the fallen beams and rocks, and looked up. About 30 feet above her was the gaping hole where they had fallen in...it was...enormous...from above there, she could see the night sky, and suddenly, she was scared, she swung around, Gabriel was pulling Titanicus up, and waking him up. Xena was over helping Ish and Joksar, just then...she remembered her father... The dear old man, was dead. Her mother was dead, from when she was 5 years old, all she had known was her father...now, she was an orphan. She was 21, and an orphan...and all alone. She sat down on one of the rocks, and began to cry... ------------------
"Wait a second," Said Flavius to his comrade Lethargic.
"What is it?" asked his counterpart,
"Something isn't right," he said, then sniffed the air,
"Smell that?" He asked.
"Nope."
"Try Again."
Lethargic sniffed the air.
"I don't smell...anythin--" He stopped...
"Is It..." Flavius trailed off, as Lethargic nodded and finished his sentance.
"Mines." They said in unision...
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Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
The angel walks over to the fallen warrior and kneels besides him. He puts his hands on either side of Civis' head and concentrates. His eyes go from green to gold and a ray of light tumbling from the clouds touches the young man's lips.
"Is he...?"
"He'll be alrigth, Apolita."
"Thank you, my Lord"
The girl replies and takes her friend's scarred hand in hers.
Jayhawk rises and mumbles,
"I wish she'd stop calling me lord."
"Titanicus?"
"Yes, Jayhawk"
"What did you do to my brother?"
"I killed him. You said I could. The acid destroyed his body quite nicely, I must say."
The angel sighs
"What?"
"Destroying his body isn't going to do much good, my young friend. He's immortal, like I am. It will set him back, but his essence will gather a new form and he'll be waiting for you before you know it."
"Err..you mean I didn't kill him?"
"No, you did not."
Jayhawk's eyes shimmer from one colour to the next. Titanicus swallows, hard.
Incontinentia walks up to them and puts her hand on Jayhawks shoulder. She feels the muscles hard and knotted.
"Easy, Jay, he didn't know."
The angel looks at the young magician and pulls up a smile from somewhere deep inside.
"I'm sorry, Titanicus, I guess I'm tired."
Just then the two Romans and Hanibal come trotting into the ruins. ------------------
"We...we... ", Flavius is breathing hard.
"We found a cave, nearby, it smells like sulpher."
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 the matter Lethargic, is the enemy nearby?" asked the now recovered Civis as he began to draw his sword from its scabbard.
"Maybe closer than you want us to know?" said Lethargic. "How do we know that you are really you? I know that we are us, but how can we be sure that you are you and not not you. Flavius, I think I confused myself again."
"That's simple to prove you idiot" says an irritated Incontinentia. "Tusky, ROUTINE NUMBER 3!"
Tusky stands on his toes, does a short Lambada, and then jumps into the air with a back-flip. Lethargic drops his sword, reaches into his cape putting on the Masked Legionnaire hood, and starts dancing a side-step. As Tusky lands next to him they both bow to the group. Lethargic then has Tusky start passing among the crowd with a tin cup asking for money.
"They're who they're supposed to be" everyone chimed in at once.
Lethargic takes off the mask and picks up his sword while pocketing the coins Titanicus and Apolita threw into the cup. The group then tells each other what has happened so far. Lethargic gives Titanicus a cold stare that would stop a charging Numidian Horse Archer when he hears how Deyhawk escaped. But he doesn't say a word and finally shrugs his shoulders saying apprentices sometimes have to learn by mistakes. At least no one was hurt. But sectrely he begins to wonder if the hostages are still alive after all this time. They could die of old age by the time this group gets around to finally saving them.
Jayhawk finally forwards a plan to find the hostages and rid Celtia of his brother's influence. He speaks.
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There was a boom from above, outside. It rocked the ground around them, causing more debris to fall in on them. Tusky madly swatted away all the debris that came close, saving most of them from any harm. The group was now all back togather...and they all clustered togather against one of the still standing walls, hoping it would save them from any harm. Just then, there was another loud boom from above, then another, and another! Of walking through the tunnel, they came to the end of the passageway, or so it seemed. The opened the door, and it expossed a set of stairs, leading...down. They followed the stairs, and down they went. They heard the trickle of water, and they soon realized that at the foot of the steps was about 3 feet of water, Tusky, at the back of the group, had to be coaxed into the water, but once they were all in it, they began to follow the sewer (or sewer look-alike) to who knows where. Apoltia and Gabriel on Tusky's back, were slowly lulled into sleep, and they were kep t asleep by the constant, and surprisingly calming 'booms' of the exploding mines, the noise slowly fading into the distance...
"I think..." shouted Titanicus over the now constant 'booms', "That somebody is walking through the mine field!"
"Wouldn't they be dead by now?" Shouted Apoltia over the roar,
"Not Unless there were....many of them, like maybe an--" Titanius was interupted by the shouts of the other members of the group, saying: "An Army!" The rumbling and shaking caused some of the rocks that had slid down and made a slope, to rock down, and fall away, Now, there was a large hole in the wall opposite them, it was dark inside, and Titanicus conjured of a glowing ball, he sent it into it, lighting the way, "A Passageway!" He cried. THe group milled aroun dhim, and they followed the blue-ish light into the cavern which widened once they were inside of it.
Titanicus turned to Jayhawk,
"Should we follow it?" He asked,
"Is there any other way out?" Was the reply, confirming his choice.
"Okay!" shouted Titanicus, trying to be heard, "Everyone stay together! He conjured up two more glowing-balls,one of a light pink, and anmother of a soft yellow. They had one in front, one behind, and one in the middle of the group, and they lit up the passsageway quite nicely.
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Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
"Where did you get the hood and learn that step? I never saw it taught in legionnaire's school."
Lethargic chuckled. "Nope. Didn't learn it there. It's kind of a secret, but someday I'll share it with you. By the way, are you "Yes. But right now I'm supposedly on holiday (some 'holiday' he mumbled). Anyway, unless I'm on campaign or at official functions, I don't dwell on the military rank thing. Right now, were just a trio of swordsmen, you, Flavius and me. If that's okay with you." "Works for me," answered Lethargic. Flavius, just behind Lethargic, voiced no objection. Lethargic began to whistle a little tune sounding suspiciously like his version of the lambada melody. It had to be a close imitation, because Incon began to involuntarily twitch about the shoulders and hips. This behaviour was known to precede Incon's sudden immersion into the movements of the dance. It was soon afterwards that they arrived at the water's outlet, an opening in the side of a cliff out of which the water poured into a deep pool...30 feet below. And next to the pool on the lower flank of the rise was the opening to another cave. Three of Deyhawk's black caped followers were guarding the entrance. A little boy and girl were being escorted back into the cave by a fourth caped figure. Titanicus recognized the small children at once...they were his. _________________________________________
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Proud Co-Director of the RSPCE!
"Cian, bless him, taught me well, Civis. Of course I do."
"Good, then conjure yourself into that heavy overgrown bushy forested area over there. Next, conjure Lethargic, Flavius
and Gabrielle next to you. I'll stay up here with Xena in case we have trouble from behind. (Civis waves to Gabrielle, Lethargic and Flavius to come over) Now here's what you do..."
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A little bit later:
A rustling in the bushes caught the immediate attention of the three caped guards. The necro-warriors stood stunned as a diminuitive blonde stepped clear of the bushes and into the opening. She was dressed like a goddess (thanks to Titanicus' cloth conversion spell) and shined like one too. ("Nice touch," Lethargic commented.) The guards were impressed.
"Oh!" she cried out. "I didn't expect you there. You startled me. Been there long, boys?"
One caped guard hissed a reply. "Yessh, been dead here for sho long." A small piece of his jaw fell to the ground.
Oh gross, they're zombies, thought Gabrielle in her goddess get-up. She changed expressions to tease mode. "You're not that dead are you? Shall we see?"
Two of the guards started forward. The third held back.
"Shhtop, sheessh trying to trick you. Can't you sheee?" The two guards hesitated, reconsidered, that is until Gabrielle blew them a kiss and stepped beckingly back into the overgrown area with only her head visible above the bush. She began to glow even more the further she stepped backwards. She beckoned to them again with her hand and her voice. The guards hesitated no more and promptly followed her into the bushes.
A short time later the two guards exited the bushes and shuffle stepped over to where the third guard stood. "Well, what happened?" asked Guard No. 3. No answer. "You heard me, what happened?" The two guards had now shuffled right up to the third guard. "I want an answer!"
"Here's your answer!" Lethargic quickly drew his short sword and deftly lopped off the head of the unprepared third guard. Lethargic quickly dragged the guard's body into the bushes removing his black cape and other black garments. Flavius kicked his head into the trees.
Lethargic forcefully whispered, "Okay, Titanicus, conjure the rest into the bushes." Titanicus did this quickly, without error. Lethargic handed the black clothes to Civis when he appeared. Civis put them on with only minor hesitation. Apolita held her nose. Zombies were not particularly well groomed creatures.
The three black caped Romans immediately took the places of the three guards they eliminated. The fourth guard couldn't be too long in coming. They were right. He shuffled out of the cave and straight over to the Romans. Whatever he had to say was never heard. Without ceremony all three pounced on the guard and disposed of him quickly. Titanicus now wore the fourth set of guard's clothing.
Signalling to the others, the four black garbed Romans entered the cave. As arranged, the others stayed in the bushes. Some wondered if they would ever see Lethargic, Flavius, Civis or Titanicus again...
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Inside the cave:
Civis motioned to Titanicus. He whispered to the sorceror. "If anything bad happens or we need help, you hurry back to the others. Bring Xena, Gabrielle, Jayhawk and Ish. Tusky could help too. Use your judgement. Now, let's see where this goes..."
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Civis can see a cage with closed door in the lighted room up ahead. Inside the cage are what appear to be the hostages, guarded by two soldiers sitting and playing cards at a table at the base of a stairway that leads down into the small room. Civis motions Titanicus to remain in the tunnel while the three soldiers lower their heads and shuffle into the room. Seeing the three emerge from the tunnel one of the guards speaks.
"What are you three lazy louts doing coming back so soon? It's not time for your relief yet."
Civis, Lethargic, and Flavius quickly dart across the room to the guards while drawing their swords. They proceed to dispatch the two guards before they even have the chance to rise from their seats. Waiting a few minutes to make sure no other guards are present, they then motion Titanicus to join them. While Legthargic removes the keys from the dead guard's belt, Civis talks to Titanicus.
"Before we free what appears to be the hostages we need for you to see if they are real, " says Civis.
Although anxious to run to his family, Titanicus nods his head in understanding and raises his arms. Chanting a few mystic words the young sorcerer creates a brilliant but small floating bulb of blue light that enters the cage and moves from hostage to hostage. The Light of Truth glows before each hostage and reveals that these are indeed the true hostages. Lethargic quickly unlocks the cage door, unlocks the chains and shackles from the hostages, and motions them to remain silent. Titanicus quickly dashes forward and hugs his wife and children while the others exit from the cage into the room. Titanicus is the last to lead his family into the room.
"We must leave quickly before the guards' relief comes," says Civis.
Before the group can take a step, a door is heard to open at the top of the stairs leading down into the room while other movement is heard coming from the tunnel.
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