Uh, apperently some people want me to keep posting these so... This is gonna be a tester, if it doesn't get any replies I'm gonna stop cause obviously people don't like it. It probably sounds jelous but I'm really not trying to be so...
*~*~*
Khor awoke into a dimly lit room and with the feeling of soft covers pressing against his bare chest. He sat up and pushed back the covers, looking around the room. He ruffled his long hair and stepped out of the bed. He slowly dressed and pulled on his boots.
Khor approached the door and yawned as he twisted the knob. He stepped into harsh sunlight as it streamed in through the large windows in the lobby. Khor went down the elevator and stepped into the entry hall lazily. He feebly waved to the man in the suit behind the desk and stepped into even harsher light outside.
The sleepiness beginning to wear off as Khor found the nearest Help Post. Not knowing when Vathen would return Khor figured he should probably revisit the pub, staying in the same place, he would be easier to find.
Khor followed the map and from memory to find The Dragon’s Wing. He pushed open the green rusty door and entered the dim bar. The same people that were there yesterday were there today. The man wrapped in the black cloak sipping his dark green liquid, the nearly invisible man in the corner, smoking his pipe, and the two Northerners playing their card game at one of the tables.
Khor sat at the stool closest to the door, like last time. The large man behind the bar reached underneath the counter and grasped a tall glass. He stood and filled it with a jar of cool milk. Khor quickly retrieved three silver towers from within his jacket and set them down on the counter.
While scooping up the coins the bartender set the cool glass of milk in front of Khor. Khor grasped it and drank a large amount. Feeling the liquid rush down his throat Khor was instantly awakened and satisfied. He returned the glass to the counter and whipped off the stain it left on his upper lip with his sleeve.
The bartender sat back into his chair and it moaned under the stress. Khor smiled and turned around to look at the two friends playing. One was intently gazing at his cards while the other had his hand up to his mouth, thinking intensely
.
The board already had five floors and thousands of monsters set upon it. Each player had several cards and only a few points left in his black stone. The one named Vyrish smiled and placed several cards down in secession. A path opened around one of Kaisel’s monsters and Vyrish’s Level seventy six Shadow Eyes moved foreword in front of Kaisel’s black stone.
Kaisel laughed and tapped the square Vyrish’s monster was sitting on. It flashed red and his monster disappeared, moving one floor below. “Now I play my Confusion card and take control of your Level ninety nine Evil Sorcerer that happens to be guarding your Life Stone… That I now attack.”
“On the contrary.” Replied the friend. “I play my Clear card which erases the confusion effect and use this transport card and move to the worm hole that you opened to get rid of my Level seventy six Shadow Eyes. And I believe I am in position to strike and destroy your remaining points.” With that, the Evil Sorcerer struck down on the Life Stone and it shattered in half, showing a red glowing inside before it disappeared. The board cleared and a stack of cards was placed in the center of the grid.
“Ahh! You’ve got to stop doing that!” Kaisel shouted. Khor smiled again and returned to his milk. Khor watched another game and enjoyed two more glasses of milk, completely absorbed in the game.
The door suddenly burst open and Khor heard his name bitterly. Khor whipped around and saw Vathen standing at the doorway, out of breath. Khor stood and Vathen shouted, “We have to leave, now!” Without questioning, Khor left with him. Khor followed Vathen throughout the city until they reached the hotel.
They ran up to their room and Vathen burst in. Khor quickly packed his things while Vathen grabbed his pack and muttering spells that caused the room to start cleaning itself. He closed the curtains and when Khor was finished he left the room. Vathen found the key that was hidden underneath the tile and jumped off the balcony.
Khor followed, rushing after Vathen. Khor dearly wanted to ask why they had to hurry so quickly as they passed the man behind the desk. Vathen threw the key at the man and dashed out the front double doors.
Outside the two were lost in a massive crowd, hidden from whoever they were running from. Khor walked closer to Vathen and whispered, “Where are we going?” Vathen stopped briefly and answered, “As far as we can.”
Vathen continued and quickly tapped a Help Post. After gazing at it a few moments, Vathen ran again. Khor barely keeping up, he realized they must be heading for the nearest exit to the city. The sun was high in the sky as they reached the city core. A tangled mess of metal roadways, office and business buildings. People were everywhere, only being able to follow Vathen because of his long, silver-blue hair.
There were screens placed on the buildings facing out as large as the buildings themselves. Each carried a moving advertisement or some logo of some kind but now all were showing a man in a slick haircut speaking with a sheet of paper in front of him.
Everyone on the busy streets stopped moving and dumbly gazed up at the screens, the man’s voice echoing throughout the intertwining roadways and vibrating in between the buildings. Vathen and Khor stopped as well and the man’s voice was heard to everyone.
“The Dieses Control Corporation as just confirmed an outbreak of the Gynelbruss Plague. This deadly plague wrecks the human body with pain, causing the mind to loose all sense of control. Victims can be recognized by awkward behavior and an absence of the pupil. Anybody who recognizes these symptoms in themselves or others must call the number posted at the bottom of the screen immediately. The Gynelbruss Plague has spread throughout all surrounding cities and is now intended to spread throughout The Last City.
“The Dieses Control Corporation, or DCC, has issued a city wide quarantine. All citizens are to remain in their houses or apartments for five days. Afterwards they may come out only from eight am to five pm. The city will be blocked off into grids. There will be a Royal Army team positioned at every checkpoint. Please cooperate and follow these regulations. Panic will only ensue danger and injury. Casting help us.”
The large screens went blank for several seconds and a map of the city was shown with a grid over it. Each screen zoomed in on the section where the screens were. There was a high pitched screech and that sparked thousands of shouts and screams. People rushed everywhere, running every which way.
Vathen grasped Khor’s arm before he was swallowed in the panic of the crowd and dragged him into the lobby of the nearest building. Vathen pulled Khor off to a corner, away from where thousands of people in black suits were rushing out of the building, papers flying out of their loose briefcases.
Vathen brought Khor very near and said, “I feared this would happen. It appears someone does not want us to leave quite yet and will do anything to keep us in. However, we must do everything we can to leave this city. I swear I will explain in full detail later, but now I believe we have more pressing matters at hand. We must leave before the Royal Army sets up a firm hold on the city. We can use the panic of the people for us, follow closely.”
Vathen left the building as quickly as he came in and Khor struggled to follow. The two pushed through panicked crowds of people, further to the edge of the city. As they were nearing an intersection it became obvious the people had cleared out very quickly. They were the only few people left on the open streets.
In the distance three long rows of people in black and green armor were marching towards them. Vathen rushed ahead and Khor pulled his pack tighter and followed. As they neared, Khor could see two silver letters on the black and blue helmets of the soldiers, RA. Behind the rows of troops, there were two blue and black metal vehicles with wheels.
These, however, had two long narrow turrets on each side of the driver’s seat. There were two soldiers in the front, driving, and two in bubble shaped cockpits, manning the turrets.
Vathen sped up and Khor followed. As Vathen approached the large group a large man commanded them to stop. Vathen ran foreword and waved Khor away. Khor stopped as Vathen ran straight into their midst.
Soldiers shouted and arrows flew everywhere. Vathen dodged them and began to attack. He muttered some spell and his fists glowed green. He swiftly jabbed each soldier and they all fell unconscious. Before he reached the last one, the man pointed his crossbow into the air and fired a red arrow.
The arrow soared higher and higher and exploded above the city. Black smoke burst from the explosion and Vathen began running again. This time Khor followed. “We can’t get past every barricade from here to the edge of the city! What are we gonna do?” Vathen remained silent. Maybe he doesn’t even have a plan.
As they neared another blockade, the two ducked behind an abandoned vehicle left on the street. Vathen addressed Khor in a whisper, “You stay here, I’ll handle this.”
“No! I-“
“Shh!” Vathen motioned his hand down and Khor lowered his voice.
“Why the hell am I here if I can’t even help?”
“It is vital that you do not use magic. Please trust me.” Khor reluctantly nodded and Vathen stood. He began to run towards the soldiers and they immediately saw him. This time there was no warning.
Khor heard the sound of several arrows being released and a loud boom! The vehicles with the cannons!Khor heard a shout that sounded like Vathen. Without being able to take any more, Khor ran out from behind the vehicle.
“There’s another!” The voice traveled over the long distance and Khor saw Vathen huddled on the street. A small pool of blood around him. At first he felt fear and then rage. Khor glared at the soldiers and felt the magic stir inside of him, waiting to be released. t! Dang, I can’t use magic!
The arrows flew across at him and he opened his hands towards them. He felt the shadow beneath his feet twitch. Like a puppeteer, he moved his fingers in complicated motions. Not knowing exactly what he was doing, tiny shadow tendrils shot out from Khor’s shadow and wrapped around the flying arrows.
Khor, with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. The arrows were hovering in mid air in front of him. He smiled and moved his fingers again. The tendrils dropped the arrows and slithered on the street towards the guards.
Panicked shouts came from the soldiers and they all began to run. Khor’s smile widened. Tasting revenge, Khor sent the tendrils out and wrapped around the soldiers, crushing them. In a matter of seconds, the bodies of dead soldiers littered the open street.
Khor let the tendrils go as they slipped back towards his shadow. Returning his attention to Vathen, he began to run towards him. As he approached he heard a moan of pain. [i] He’s alive![i/]pe blossoming inside him, Khor knelt down next to him and sat him up with a hand on his back.
One arrow had gone straight though his thigh and another was embedded in his shoulder. “Idiot. How any times do I have to tell you not to run at flying arrows?” Vathen laughed hoarsely and coughed up blood.
Khor lay him back down and took off his jacket. He folded it up and laid it underneath Vathen’s head. “Uh… I can’t use magic. Dang!” Vathen whispered something indiscreet and Khor leaned closer to hear.
Khor suddenly jerked upward, looking at him. “Will that really work?” Vathen nodded and Khor reached out his hand and grasped Vathen’s. Khor closed his eyes and focused on Vathen’s hand. Or, more or less, the magic inside his hand.
As instructed, Khor rested his other hand on Vathen’s leg wound. “.” Vathen whispered roughly. Khor felt Vathen’s spell travel through his arm and into his opposite hand.
Khor’s hand glowed lightly for a few moments and the wound was sealed, the tissue stitching itself back together. Khor’s eyes widened in shock of what had just happened.
Vathen laughed softly and chocked for a moment on his own blood arising in his throat. “It worked.” He said, quietly. Khor nodded and slowly moved his hand towards the wooden arrow protruding from Vathen’s shoulder.
“Do it quickly.” He whispered to Khor. Khor nodded in response and grasped the arrow. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, he pulled back swiftly, the arrow coming free. Vathen screamed in pain, his cry echoing throughout the empty streets.
Blood began to rush from the now open wound and Khor thrust his hand there, blocking it. Vathen feebly closed his hand around Khor’s free one and murmured another spell.
Khor once again felt the magic surge through his blood and out through his hand, into Vathen’s wound. The wound began sealing itself and Khor felt the magic begin to weaken. The spell failed, leaving a terrible scar on Vathen’s right shoulder.
“No! No!!!” Khor screamed. Vathen’s hand became limp in Khor’s. “No! I’m not gonna let you die that easily!” Khor ripped back the shirt and thrust his hand on the scar. He closed his eyes and was about to recite a spell when Vathen suddenly coughed.
Khor stopped and stared at him. He coughed again and moaned. “Yes!”
“Shut up! Do you want all the soldiers in the city here?” Khor fell on Vathen, laughing.
“Never do that again! I thought you were dead!”
“Just taking a nap.” Vathen sat up.
“Hey, lay back down, I’ll carry you.”
“Not a chance. We have to move quickly. We might just have to deal with every soldier in the city now.” Vathen reluctantly stood and leaned against Khor for a moment. After regaining his balance, Khor and Vathen walked down the street.
