Cliche Fantasy Story Part XIII

Steve ran through the hallways with Rissa, eyeing his sword every once and a while. Yes, he was used to fighting with a sword, yes, it felt familiar in his hand. With new found confidence gained at the thought of having something from the past, he ran faster and soon was running beside Rissa.

Swinging through a small doorway it was revealed that there was an epic battle about to take place. There stood a large Gryphon, and a warrior type man in its stead. But it was the man pointing the sword at the Gryphon which caught his attention. He could not see his face yet the stature of that man seemed familiar to him. Holding out his sword in front of him, he ambled down the stairs and stood by the mighty Gryphon, trying not to stare at it and keep his eyes on the man.

It was then that Steve realized just who that man was. He was the Shadowman a man that for some odd reason he remembered so clearly from his past even though everything else was in a haze.

Steve kept his sword pointed at the man, and felt himself even take a step forward. "In the name of the King, Shadow Man, I wish for you to drop your weapon."

"What ever makes you think that I care about your King?" The Shadow Man laughed maliciously.

"Then I shall have to kill you then!" Steve shouted valiantly and charged in a duelists stance, thrusting his sword forward fiercely.

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~Incognito

It was such a poor move, typical of what a mad man would do. Shadow Man side stepped the mad mans crazed charge and he struck air.

The mad man cackled like the lunatic he was and started to swing his sword madly. Or was that precision he was seeing?

A brilliant idea flashed in his Shadow Mans mind. He pulled out a silver ball from his pouch, and threw it on the ground. In the glow of a thousand torches the ball glowed like a shimmering diamond.

"Ohh, shiny!" the mad man said, dropping the sword and running after the object. It slid out the open door and into the hall. The mad man ran past the warrior that was standing by the door running after the ball.

[i]Little does he know that ball won't stop rolling until he catches it. It is not bound by friction, if it hits a dead end it will simply bounce back and lead him somewhere else.
[/i]

At least that was how he calculated it in his mind. But upon letting the ball roll on the ground the mad man only stared at him.

The mad man took three calculative steps forward perfectly mirroring the Shadow Mans.

What is this?

The mad man took four lightning quick strides and thrust his foot out.

Shadow Man felt his shins take a tremendous blow. He fell on one knee and sweeped out with one of his feet.

The mad man stumbled a little but stayed up right. Then he thrust his sword down to where Shadow Man had been a second before.

Shadow Man dodged out of the way of the killing stroke and was back on his feet. What was going on? He knew that this was the same man that had been skipping down a night time road like a little girl. And that had snapped at him like a rabid dog. But now he was a... a worthy opponent! Yes, I'm enjoying this.

Mean while Shadow Man and the former mad man turned swords man danced around each other, Chameleon and the warrior broke into their own battle.

Shadow Man side stepped as the swords man slashed out with a blow that would have decapitated him if he hadn't ducked and dodged out of it's arch like stroke.

The sword man took a step to the left to match Shadow Mans direction of change and thrust the sword out again.

Shadow Man slashed at the middle of the sword with a savage blow, tearing it in half. The top portion of the sword clanged on the marble floor.

The sword man took five running steps back and stared at his sword, which was cleaved in two. Then he hurled the sword at the Shadow Mans chest.

Shadow Man let out a breath of pain as the cold steel slammed against his chest. If it hadn't hit him sideways he would have surely been impaled by the half sword. As the sword man approached to finish him off with his bare hands Shadow Man back stepped toward a wall.

The sword man charged sprinting forward with the speed of a deer.

At the last second Shadow Man thrust his hands out, grabbing a hold of the charging mans shoulders and threw him against the wall behind him. The man was rendered unconscious. Yet again, you are sleeping like a child.

Shadow Man raised his sword to finish him off when a tremendously powerful wave of wind knocked him away.


His vision swam with hazy images. Chameleon and the warrior were no longer in the large dome room. There swords clanged out in the hall. He picked himself up and watched as the Gryphon approached him.

"I give you only one more chance," the Gryphon said, "leave now!"

Shadow Man said nothing, he faced the Gryphon, his sword raised. The fight was on. There would be no more distractions.

Ohhhhh... I'll go back and revise that.

Nikos sized his opponent up, his eyes searching for the slightest hint of an attack. He had been called the Shadow Man. His opponent wanted him to attack and it was that reason alone that Nikos was going to avoid attacking. A gryphon used surprise and speed to kill an opponent quickly, but neither was on his side. The tile floor was slippery and his opponent could see him clearly.

There was always a way to win.

"If you wish to fight me and me alone, then we'll need some privacy," Nikos said. With a gesture, Steve went sliding across the room and out the door. Nikos locked the door behind him. The Shadow man did likewise on the opposite side of the room, closing and locking the door there.

The combatants faced each other once again. Nikos stood calmly and cast a spell. The Shadow Man stood there, unaffected for the moment. He held up his

"This amulet disrupts your air magic. Your little stunt earlier won't work now."

"I have no quarrel with you, Shadow. Why do you wish to kill me?"

"The Gryphon is the strongest of all creatures. I want the world to see how powerful I am." the Shadow twitched and his blade flashed forward, but by the time it reached Nikos, he had already danced out of range.

"Only the weak respect strength," Nikos taunted.

"Are you calling me weak?" the Shadow lunged forward again and this time the gryphon and the Shadow clashed. It was brief and they disengaged from one another without injury.

"You've been taught by a swordsman," Nikos said.

"I have been taught by the Lion's Claw," the Shadow said.

"Then he has taught you nothing of value," Nikos said.

"Remember that when you lie defeated."

"You've already lost." The Shadow Man charged and they exchanged another series of blows. The battle raged back and forth, Nikos had gotten in close, making the powerful swings virtually impossible. They broke apart at last and Nikos bounded to one side of the room. The Shadow Man breathed heavily and the lights had dimmed. Half an hour had elapsed since the doors had been locked. The Shadow Man came again, but his motions were labored, his movements had lost their fluidity, and his aim had was without focus. Nikos danced outside of his attacks for another ten minutes.

"Fight me you coward!" The Shadow Man yelled. The lights were quite low now.

"I have done so and I have won," Nikos said.

"You've won nothing. I'm still here."

"Indeed, you have fought a pointless battle well. All the more well, because I sealed the room some forty minutes ago and you have been fighting hard ever since. Since then, no air has entered this room. All this time that you've been here, the candles and our breathing have been consuming oxygen." A candle went out to illustrate the point.

"A gryphon can get by on quite a bit less oxygen because we fly in the high places of the world. But you are not so lucky. Your body needs plenty of oxygen. When it doesn't get oxygen, you can not move as quickly, you become tired, you become dizzy, and eventually you'll pass out. By this time, the guards will have surrounded this room, so if you try to escape, you'll be cut to ribbons by fresh soldiers. You will not be able to overcome them, anymore than you'd be able to overcome me in your weakened condition. You're finished."

(Out of character. Bravo, previous poster. That was brilliant)
Shadow man knew that what the Gryphon was telling him was true. How could I have not have seen this?! I should have taken the fight out into the open! But it's not over yet, if not right now than maybe some other time. After all a patient predator is more likely to get his kill than an overly enthusiastic beast. The time will come.

The torches began to flicker off in rapid succession. There was very little light to see with. He could just faintly make out the Gryphons vague silhouette.

The Gryphon said, "I do not wish to kill you, but I will not tell the guards what they are to do with you. Just know, that their orders are to kill any unaccounted for visitors on sight."

Shadow Man holstered his sword in it's case. Then he reached into his pouch of assassination tools and pulled out a chemical and a black powder. Unlike the combination of powders that he had used to draw the attention of the beasts of Lostmen's Woods, the items he held in his hands were catastrophically deadly.

As the last of the candles and torches went out shadow man tossed the two explosives to where he heard the Gryphon walking. There was a great whistle of wind and the explosives where thrown against the closed door on the far side of the room. The black room was suddenly bathed in orange and red as the explosion echoed.


The Gryphon said, "What are you carrying on you murderer! Are you bent on destroying all the land! You're a monster!"

Shadow Man was already running over the burning splinters of what had been a giant set of double doors that were able to withstand the pummeling of a battering ram. He leaped over a huge smoldering piece, and vanished into the night.

While Shadow Man ran out of the castle grounds Chameleon was locked in battle with the warrior.

"You will not get near the King masked man!" the warrior said swinging out with is impressive blade.

Chameleon moved his neck back barely dodging the stroke. He then swung out with his own blade.

The warrior evaded it easily.

Chameleon noticed that they had neared a stair rail. When the warrior was a foot away from the steps Chameleon thrust his foot out. The warrior backed away and fell backwards down the stairs. Chameleon was about to finish him off when the sound of an explosion rumbled down the hall.

He feared that the Gryphon had killed Shadow man and jumped over the warrior and ran down the stairs. His only thought was getting out.

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Shadow Man ran along side the castle ground walls. The corvaz and many other wild beasts were feasting on the bodies of dead guards that littered the court yard. What would he tell Lion Claw? Or, did he even have to leave? He could draw the Gryphon out into the open. After all the Gryphon had been horrified about the explosive weapons that he possessed. The Gryphon seemed to believe that it was his mission to protect life.

What life is there to protect? Can't you see all there is around us is madness? Is that worth protecting? Well then you will die protecting it. Shadow Man turned when he heard a door burst open. When he saw a frightened looking Chameleon run toward him Shadow man pulled out his sword. He heard the Gryphon fly around the backside of the castle. He was coming after all. Or was he? could he be flying off? To... get more of his kind?

I had been locked out with the other warriors, unsure of what to do. After a few minutes, most of the guards began to leave. After much debate, I decided to stay here with Steve, and the Gryphon's friend, Mallory. After all, I couldn't just leave the man alone and unconscious with a stranger. I didn't know if the girl had any knowledge in healing, but I wasn't going to risk someone's life on the off chance she did, even if she was a chemist. Without me, they both would be very easy pickings for the Corvaz that were, for all I knew, still roaming the castle grounds.

I could hear the sounds of the ongoing battle from the other room. It was quite terrifying, and I worried for the Gryphon.

Mallory just sat against the door, concentrating on something. But every time a loud noise came, she winced. Then it dawned on me, "You and the Gryphon have a link, don't you?"

"Yes," she said absentmindedly. Then she went back to focusing on the battle from the Gryphon's point of view.

It was forty minutes before Steve moved even a little. Finally, though, he opened his eyes. It was interesting seeing him without a crazed expression on his face. He groaned, sat up, then opened his eyes. "Gah, I have such a headach-"

He was cut off by a massive explosion only ten feet away from us. I hastily ducked down, curling myself into a ball underneath a nearby table, and pulling Steve along with me. The girl had done the same, even faster. She had known what was coming before it happened, of course. I wondered why she hadn't issued some sort of warning.

I waiting for the debris to pass, wincing as large chunks of wood and stone threw themselves at my back, making tears in both my shirt and skin. It lasted only a few seconds, though. Soon enough I was able to lift my head, only to see the Shadow Man run out of the door and down the hall. I got up from under the table. Turning to Steve and Mallory, I said, "There he goes! Both of you, come on. We have to follow him!" I thought for a moment as they stood up. "Listen, I have with me a bottle of invisibility potion. It will work for three hours on a single person, but if we each take a mouthful we can have an hour of invisibility each. We can follow the Shadow Man in silence, as long as I can trust you to be quiet. Can I?"

I said everything as fast as I could, not wanting to waste any time. Mallory looked scared, and kept glancing towards the gaping hole in the wall. Inside, I could see the Gryphon coming towards us, slowly but surely.

"I can be silent," said Steve after a moment of deliberation. I nodded. I was about to ask Mallory again when the Gryphon, Nikos, said, "Mallory can stay silent. I think that's a great idea. I'll fly quietly above and scope him out. I can stay out sight without the invisibility potion. You three just take a gulp now, and get on your way. If you get lost, look out for me, because I'll be following his trail."

"Alright, then. Mallory, you first?" She smiled, still not saying anything, and took the vial from my hand. She took a careful sip, then handed it to Steve, who made sure to leave a similar amount for me. Finally, I downed the last of the potion. "Alright then. Let's go."

The Gryphon moved out ahead as Mallory, Steve and I began to sprint down the same corridor the Shadow Man had been through just a minute before. I planned to follow him to his 'lair', and take him out in the comfort of his own 'home'.

Shadow Man and Chameleon ran along side each other toward Lostmen's Woods. As far as he could tell they were not being followed. But every so often he could swear he heard the soft patter of stealthy steps brushing the grass behind him.

Maybe it was just the wind. Or someone as mysterious as the wind. The roars of the corvaz sounded in the distance. At least the woods would be easier to navigate. At least until he reached Lizard Men Bog. Shadow man was in no mood to be doing any more killing. All he wanted to do was stop and rest to sharpen his blades. And then maybe he would consider going after the Gryphon again. Next time he'd be sure to bring plenty of explosives.

Joe

I rubbed my head as I sat up. That had been one hell of a fight and the worst fall down a flight of stairs yet. I wondered why I hadn't been finished off. It would have been kinder to kill me. The king wouldn't hear of it now so I'd have to go through days of recovery in a hospital instead of one nice quick death and five minutes of being... dead. Maybe if I just reached out for my sword then I could finish me off and... and risk the king being unprotected for those five minutes while those creatures might return. Damn. It seemed I was stuck with the pain.

"Well this is bloody brilliant," I muttered as I dragged myself into a sitting position. I swung my legs around so that I was sitting parallel to the stairs and propped my body up with my sword, the metal grating heavily on the stone. This way I could look up toward the safe room and down toward the hallway. I was surprised that no other guards had turned up but supposed they were occupied elsewhere or had chosen other safe rooms to flock too. I wondered if I would find any of the royal family dead. It seemed that they had left very suddenly, maybe the king hadn't been the target afterall.

I sat there glumly for a minute or two as I let this sink into my head. There was no way I was going after them on the off chance that they might have taken the prince with them. No way! I wasn't. I was so not going to go running off after them. Oh shit.

"Chameleon, did you kill that warrior?" Chameleon said as they ran deeper into the woods.

Out of breath Chameleon said, "No."

"What?!" hissed Shadow Man.

"I'm sorry, I was just so..."

"Scared?!" Shadow Man felt like stopping and cracking the skull of his accomplice against a tree. The acid tree sap would eat it away. His people would never know who he was.

"I didn't have any time to think, there was this.. explosion."

"You fool! You know well that I had been carry explosives!"

"Aye yes, sorry, but I was so scared about the castle falling on me."

Say anything else that angers me and your blood will be falling from your slit throat.

Behind them the ground rustled every few seconds. Shadow Man thought little of it.

Suddenly Shadow Man and Chameleon were forced to the ground. "Down you vermin!" said two voices. One belonging to the mad man.

"What is the meaning of this!" Chameleon began to say. A spray of blood squirted from his neck and then he grew silent.

Shadow Man heard a blade get pulled out of a holder. No, I will never die... alone.
Shadow Man reached into his pouch and pulled out three of his concoctions. What he had on the ground in front of his face when mixed had the power to level everything for miles around.

"Kill him now!" said the voice to his right, where Chameleon lay dead in a pool of his own blood. He couldn't see the person but he knew that he was there.

Shadow Man mixed the chemicals and then he was nothing. There was nothing, for miles in every direction.

The turbulance waves which expanded at the speed of sound swatted every bird, and Gryphon out of the sky like flys, vaporizing everything in sight. When the explosion expended it's life all that was left of the Lostmen's Woods and the King's Kingdom was a pile of ash, and smoke that ascended seemingly without end.

Many travelers passed on by, each of them had a story to tell, of a black wasteland, in the middle of nowhere.

Hundreds of years later the sight became known as the Sahara desert, now people just look at it as a desert. Only a few know that it used to support all kinds of life besides desert dwellers. But that was all before the blast that annihilated all life.

And so twas an ending has come to the people and creatures of the Fabled Lands.

THE END