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| Scroll Eight: Call to Arms | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the mouth of the cave they had spent the night in - Markys looked out at the land she knew as her home. In every fiber of her being - she could feel it changing as Chaos continued his campaign of terror. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She looked over her shoulder and saw where Enchantress was. She was still fast asleep. Part of her warned her not to get too attached. She knew that if she prevailed - she would still be in the thrall of the Mountain King. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why am I letting this happen again?" Markys whispered to herself as she leaned against the cavern wall. It was then that Enchantress stirred from her sleep and realized Markys wasn't there. Hesitantly she sat up and frantically looked around. "I'm over here," she said quietly. Enchantress sighed as she heard the voice. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I feared that," Enchantress began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have no desire to do anything foolish - not yet. Chaos grows more powerful with each passing day. It will take weeks for me to be near the peak of my power - by then it will be too late," Markys stated grimly. Enchantress wrapped a blanket around herself as she made her way over to where Markys was. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sounds like you've given up hope," Enchantress stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "To give up something - she would have to have it to begin with," she pointed out. Markys looked over her shoulder at Enchantress and smiled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That was your first time - wasn't it?" she asked curiously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Maybe - did I do something wrong?" Enchantress asked modestly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No. I just regret that you gave yourself to a demon," she remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why do you say that?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It is what I am. I'm not like you - or Tydiss or any of the others. Stay with me and all that will happen is that you will get hurt - or worse. Return to your valley - please," Markys requested passively. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But - you'll die," Enchantress pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know - believe me I know," she admitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - you don't want me?" Enchantress hesitantly asked. Markys lowered her eyes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What difference would it make if I did or didn't? A war is coming," Markys rebutted. Enchantress slumped down to the cavern floor as an emptiness stabbed at her. Markys looked over her shoulder and could see how shaken the young djinn was. She sighed and shook her head. "Of course I want you. I'm just," she began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Scared?" Enchantress concluded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Very. Everyone I have been close to - loved - has been taken from me. I don't know if I could survive knowing that I lost someone - like you," she replied shaking her head. "Stupid as that might sound," she added - wiping her eyes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - love me?" Enchantress hesitantly asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have the love of a demon - whatever that's worth," Markys muttered as she sat down. Enchantress moved over and curled up beside her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I think its worth a lot," Enchantress whispered. Markys shook her head as she put her arm around Enchantress. "Do - do you still want me to go?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - just - promise that you won't do anything foolish. I don't want you to get hurt," she insisted. Enchantress smiled and nodded. "Why do you care so much? How can - you feel the way you do about someone like me?" she asked curiously. Enchantress closed her eyes and sighed. She wanted to tell her everything. She wanted to tell her about her past life - but remembered what Tydiss said. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You can't help who you love," she replied. Markys quietly laughed. "You - must think me foolish. Feeling as I do," she added. Markys sighed and shook her head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I do - but - I'm - glad that you do," she admitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So - what do we do now?" Enchantress asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have to rally the remaining factions. If I don't - Chaos will pick them off one by one," she replied grimly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This won't be easy?" Enchantress asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "To maintain power here - the Mountain King and I - we did all we could to keep the factions apart and at odds. To keep them from rallying against us. Were I at the peak of my power - I could command them to obey - as I am though," she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You won't be alone. I'll help. You never know. I could make a difference," Enchantress offered. Markys smiled as she messed up her hair. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Stranger things could happen here I suppose. Get dressed," she agreed. She smiled as Enchantress scurried over to where her clothes were. As she watched the young djinn - a - feeling of familiarity began to set in. "Why do I feel - as though - I know you?" she asked herself. Within moments - Enchantress was dressed and ready to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where to?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will explain as we travel. We need to move quickly. The longer we take - the more likely Chaos and his armies will strike," she explained as moved a rogue strand of hair from Enchantress's face. "Some of the places we will be going to will be - less than pleasant. I need you to be brave," she answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I won't let you down," she replied eagerly. With a wave of her hand - the two vanished from the cave. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In the inner sanctum of Chaos - the mage-god smiled. Markys or the Mountain King had tapped into their power. One of his priests hurried in and kneeled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have come to tell me that Markys or her fool husband has been spotted," Chaos stated - more than asked. The priest looked up and nodded. "I know - I felt someone tapping into the power of the lands. One of them is getting ready to make a move against me," he added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Which - which one?" the priest asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Probably Markys - the Mountain King has been hiding for so long that he has no desire nor the inkling to face me," Chaos stated as he walked over to the map. He smiled as he saw how much of the map was scorched. "But it matters not. Soon as the war begins - it will all be over for him. When one half of the coin is crushed - the other shall fall too," he stated confidently. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They were fools to challenge your power my lord. They shall suffer for their arrogance," the dwarf stated proudly. Chaos laughed as he smiled at the thought of making Markys and the Mountain King suffer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Rally the forces - all of them to my mountain. She wishes a final war - I will give her one. And after I have crushed - everything she dares to throw at me - I will reach my hand out - and crush what life remains in her fragile frame," he said as a powerful flaming aura pulsed around him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| * * * | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A few days later - Markys and Enchantress found themselves before an odd looking army. Creatures that had been sworn enemies for countless centuries or longer stood side by side looking to the distant mountains where the ominous armies of Chaos were assembled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Markys looked around the assembled ranks in modest disbelief. Not one faction was bickering. Not one of the feuding mages, wizards, sorcerers or witches spoke out against the other. Creatures of darkness and light resisted the urge to strike at each other - in the face - of this greater evil. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why are they waiting?" Enchantress whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They are waiting for their master," Markys replied. It was then that they saw a pillar of flaming light that extended up into the heavens. "He's here," Markys muttered. She held her hand up and motioned for everyone to stand ready. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You faced this guy before?' Enchantress asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes and no," Markys replied as they walked out and stood a fair distance from the head of the army. "I faced a wizard named Chaos - but - this - thing that stands before us - that is not the man I faced," she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is he then?" Enchantress asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "For lack of a better word - a god," she replied seriously. Chaos stepped out and stood before his mighty army. The pillar of flaming light faded away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You can't begin to know - just how long I have waited for this day you filthy whore," Chaos's voice echoed. Enchantress scowled as she got ready to fly at the thing that dared call Markys that. Markys reached over and caught the eager djinn before she got even close to locking up with Chaos. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't recall hearing you complain at the time. You've changed," Markys remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I have grown more powerful than you could ever hope to be. No longer am I some mad ambitious mage. I am a god! And my power - now - is greater than yours," he echoed as he looked over at the girl that was glaring at him. "Who is that piece of fluff? A new toy?" he mocked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Leave her out of this!" Markys rebutted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Does she know? Does she have any idea how many wizards you have lured here - fucked - then murdered? Does she know how many wizards lost their soul - their powers to your dark incantations and rituals?" Chaos taunted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know all I need to know. She had her reasons for doing what she did - what is your excuse?" Enchantress defended. Chaos laughed as he shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have this one so wrapped around your little finger that she can't see the forest through the trees. I should kill her and put her out of her misery before she learns what you truly are," Chaos taunted. Markys stepped over and stood in front of her. In the distance she could hear the dwarves chanting the name of their god. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You aren't going to get anywhere near her you arrogant bastard," Markys rebutted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "As I live and breathe - can it be? Can it be that the whore-queen Markys - has chosen to think about someone other than herself?" Chaos mocked. As Markys looked at him she could see the power that was emanating from both the dwarves and the mage-god. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You have grown accustomed to your new station. How droll," Markys remarked casually. Chaos grew exponentially in size until he towered over everything before the mountains. "I find it odd that the once mighty Chaos - now hides behind his followers. The Chaos I remember would have had more pride than that," she added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What are you doing?" Enchantress whispered. Markys motioned for her to remain silent. It was then that the djinn noticed the swirling mana that were dancing around her hands. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "As you seem to be so fond of your new play friends - in the name of your true master - attack!" she screamed. Chaos twitched as he looked down and saw his armies attacking him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You pathetic little fools!" Chaos echoed as he began to attack his army. Enchantress looked at Markys. Her mind flashed back to her past life when she had used that same spell to turn the minions of the Mountain King against him. She blinked and found herself by Markys' side. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You know they won't do any damage to him," Enchantress stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They will - just not - yet," Markys pointed out. Soon - after a short but bloody battle - almost all of the forces of Chaos were decimated. It was then and only then that Markys released the spell - releasing her hold on the minions of Chaos. She fell to one knee as pain washed over her. Enchantress caught her and held her up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Will you be okay?" she whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - I will be soon enough," she reassured. White mana swirled around her - as it did - her wounds began to magically heal. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mere seconds later - the enraged Chaos had killed mercilessly - everyone of his loyal followers. He roared out triumphantly as he then turned and glared at Markys and her army. A smile crept across her face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Legions - attack without mercy!" she screamed out. A triumphant battle cry echoed across the plain as the allied forces charged in to take the mad god-mage down. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To Be Continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||