Isle Of Agar ---------------- A Floating Island ----------------------- As far back as you can remember you have been stranded on this enchanted land. The majority of the people seem to enjoy the isolation. But you seem to sense something utterly evil about the place. Clouds hover around you. The air is thin. You live in a small quaint little town at the edge of the continent. As you look down you accidentally kick a rock off the edge. You never really watched anything as closely as that stone but something told you not to take your eyes off it. As you watch it fall you notice that it started to glow bright red. Suddenly it breaks into a flare of sparks. You figure that the speed of it falling is what made the stone break into an unearthly hell's fire. Some part of you likes the life you lead on the island, and yet there is that other side of you that screams escape from the barrier, which binds you to the soil that you grew up on. You seem out of place here. Everyone seems different. In a strange way you feel as though you are missing some part of your soul. As you walk away from the edge you spontaneously decide to pack up and head toward Agar's Temple. The temple is a hellish place with many perils along the way. Legend has it, that anything that dared to take entrance was immediately obliterated. No one knows exactly what happens to the thing that enters the temple, for if mortal eyes set glimpse upon the act they are drawn to the innards where their fate falls into the depths of darkness. Your father (God rest him) told you stories, as you were a child, about your grandfather fighting in the DoDek war. He was a couragous man. He went missing and was never heard of again. You start toward home. When you arrive your daughter is there waiting for you. "Daddy, you look like you have something on your mind." You look up at the stars as though you expect your worries just to vanish. "Daddy, is everything alright?" "Uh....Yeah....Everything's fine." "Oh, ok, well come in, I made dinner for the two of us." "Ell?" "What Daddy?" "I'm going to go to....never mind. You know, you have been a huge help around the house ever since your mother died." "Thanks Daddy. I miss her a lot. Come on, we can say a prayer for her at the dinner table. Now lets eat." Your wife died six years ago. She was sitting at the same edge you were earlier today. A gust of icy, yet warm wind came and she was seemingly pushed of the ledge by the magical wall of wind. As she fell she threw her hand up and caught hold on the cliff's edge. She yelled for help. You faintly heard her voice so you went to investigate. When you saw her dangling there, you started to sprint after her. Just as you dived toward her the rock to which she hung from broke and sent her tumbling to her death. You didn't watch her fall for you were afraid to see your loved one perish. The next morning was a misty one. As you sit up in bed you watch the sun rise. You finally decide to get up. You start packing your things. Just as you start to leave you turn around and head toward you daughter's room. You kiss her on the forehead. You then set out on your journey. But first you must stop at the market and pick up a few essentials. With what little gold you have you purchase a tattered cloak and a few provisions. The cloak was battered, beat, and worn. But you could afford none better. You feel something coming from it but can't place your finger on it. You stop at your friend=s house for a short goodbye. You ask him if he can spare anything at all. He gives you his grandfather's gauntlets. His grandfather fought in the DoDek War. He was commander of an army composed of hundreds of men. He was a friend of the great god, Agar. The gauntlets were supposed to have a mystical enchantment upon them but that spell failed at the death of its caster. The charm's effects were never revealed, but its power was said to be great. The caster is also unknown. You leave your friend and villa wondering if you'll ever see them again. Illusion --------- You follow the Canata River for about three days. On the third night a moonbeam falls through the cloud filled sky. You lie there staring at the moon's undoubtedly slow movement across the twilight sky. As the thought of Ell enters your mind the ground beneath you seems to vanish. You fall watching the last glimpse of the moon before you go too deep into the abyss. It seems like hours before you suddenly and somewhat magically slow down to a complete halt. You levitate there for what seems like days. Strangely you don't get hungry or thirsty. You fall asleep. You awaken to find yourself on land. The room is very drafty and is not well illuminated. The sand you sit upon has a reddish glow. You stand up and the room becomes lighted. You are standing on a pillar some twenty feet up from a floor of lava. Several other pillars surround you. You look over the edge and a drip of sweat rolls off your chin. It falls into the heated rock. A few moments pass when everything begins to rattle. A huge fiery figure leaps out of the lava. It seems to be a dragon. It hurls a breath at you. You throw your hands up in a defense. Your gauntlets glow a bright blue. You then Black out. You wake up short of breath, heart racing. You think it just a dream until you notice the huge pit beside you. Everything you had brought was gone except the gloves and your cloak. You wander off looking for something to eat. A small white rabbit scurries across the grassy plain. You run after it. As you sprint faster so does the rabbit. When you slow down so does it. You get tired and come to a stop. The little fuzz ball in front of you also stops running. You take one step forward and so does the rabbit. You take a close look at the critter. It seems he is slowly getting larger. He grows to about 30 times the size of you. You start to run away from it. The blasted rodent chases after you. Once again the ground beneath you vanishes. This time almost immediately you land on what looks like the same pillar you were on earlier that, what you think is, day. From out of nowhere you see that cursed rabbit fall right into the pool of lava. It seems to fall through the lava like it was air. As soon as the last visible ounce of the rabbit is gone that same dragon comes shooting out of the fiery hell. "So, I see you are defenseless." A voice booms. "Who are you?" You reply, frightened only slightly. "My name is Sydrate. My Illusions are harmless." You reappear where you fell asleep. A very old and scruffy looking man approaches you. He is wearing a dark blue cloak. "I would like it if I could join you on your quest to The Temple Of Agar." The old man asks of you. "How did you know where?" "Ah, but it is simple," replied the mysterious geezer. "for I am the knower of knowledge, the master of illusions, and I'm wiser than the wise. You may know me better as the mysterious old hermit that travels into town every ten or so years. I mean the people no harm but they insist on attacking me every time I set foot there. That is why their lives are taken. Anyway I've been looking for you for over three decades." "Why have you been looking for me?" You manage to say, though greatly overwelmed. "You are a descendent of Agar, a truly great man." Began the old hermit. "But not near as great as you. As you may or may not know, inside of Agar's Temple is a tool of extreme power. It is a weopon that can be used for good as well as evil. That sword must be destroyed before it falls into the wrong hands. We must dispose of that vile piece of metal, before Bergath gathers enough energy to weild the blade and wreak havoc on the world beneath us. But there is one problem with all this. In order to destroy the sword we will have to go to all of the points at which the beholder lies. Only three of them are on this blasted spec of land that we call home. There are ten gems that must be collected. Two of them are bounded to the sword already and all of them must be attached to the sword for it to be destroyed. I suggest that we collect the one that is left on this island before we head towards the temple. It is in the Northeastern part of the continent...." "Wait a second here," You bravely interrupt. "What do you mean by suggesting that we collect the one that is left on this island? Were there more?" "Yes there were three, the two that are bound to the sword already were collected from here." "Why do I have this strong sensation to go to the temple?" "That was my doing. I figured that it would be quicker to meet you here than goto yur villa. Bergath needs off this land but can't as long as that sword is placed in the soil. That sword being in the ground is the only thing keeping this island afloat. It also has created an energy field around us. So you see you must come with me." "But I'm just a simple farmer, why me?" You say, half-anxiously as a shiver runs down your soul. "Only time can answer that question but I'm sure the reason for whatever it is, will be equally as great as your power." "Power? I have no power. What the hell are you talking about?" "Have you not been listing!? You a descendent of the great god Agar!" "Yes I understand that but, I have never seen myself perform god-like miracles." "Agar wasn't actually a god. He was the only one who could bare the sword for its power was, and is great." "Why was he the only one who could wield the sword?" "Magical items draw their power from their user." Explained the hermit. "The sword absorbes so much stength that it literally completely inhales anyone who touches it, body and all." "So Agar, had enough magical strength to bare the sword?" "Yes, but he could only use it for a very limited time, about thirty minutes. Ultimetly it caused his death, but a small part of him is still within that sword." "So we may be able to resurect him?" "Possibly, but it would require a great understanding of the sword and alot of mystic energy." he said, just as his smile began to whither. "Even then it may not be possible." "I would very much like to meet him." "Aye, me too, me too... Well enough chatter, we must be off." "Wait, how do I know that you are not just trying to rob me?" "If I was tryng to inflict harm upon you," The old hermit retorted. "Why would I have been guilding the lilly, and how would I have known so much about you?" "I...I...Uh..." "Just trust me." The old man smiles and laughs. "Well, it seems I have no choice." You both start for the Northeastern part of the isle. The Kidnapping ---------------------- As the sun moves toward the horizon, a strange human-like shadow approaches your house. It is about twice the size of a normal human and it seemingly has these two large horns on its head. It approaches you front door and with a wave with its hand your door is flung up into the atmosphere until it disappears. The odd creature enters your house uninvited. Screams from a small girl fill the air yet there is no one around to hear them. The creature flies through your roof demolishing the house. In his hands there is your daughter Ell. They fly off to the northeast to the point at which the beholder lies. Your daughter's screams fade in the distance. It seems your destination and the creatures are one. Many people notice the floating duo. The creature gives another wave of his hand and those people are magically blinded. They arrive at their destination. "Let me go!" Ell ejaculates, immeadiately upon landing. "Soon, very soon. But first I will make myself part of you. I like to have a trump card I can fall back upon." "What do you mean?" "Well, your about to find out." As the creature says this, he licks his lips. The creature puts both his hands together and Ell starts to hover then her hands shoot out at her sides making her body rigid and motion impossible. Her legs now shoot out. She struggles to move but fails in her petty attempt. "Let me go!" Ell screams again. "Humph." "Let go of her!" came a deep, virile voice from behind. "What the hell?" The shadow creature's attention is now turned toward the mercenary. "Who are you?!" "My name is Kalitar. I used to be a knight. I served under king Alder." "And I am his wife and companion Jade. We are a duo of mercenaries. We see that you are harming this young lady." "Huh! Two of them! No matter this could give me another advantage, if I play my moves just right." "Let her go," Kalitar ordered. "or we will be forced to retaliate!" "I'll tell you what." The creature bargained. "If you two willing become my slaves, I will let the girl go." Little did the mercenaries know the damage to the girl had already been done. "And if we don't?" "I will kill you and the girl." "Never! Never will we agree to become your slaves. Even if we did I'm sure you would kill the girl anyway!" Kalitar bellowed. "Very inquisitive of you. Your life ends here!" Said the creature, engaging Kalitar. Kalitar raises his broad sword at his side. He rotates the sword so the blade looks away from his body. He darts off toward the creature. At the exact moment the sword hit the shadow, Kalitar gave it a little shove. The steel slices the shadow creature in half. It hit him arround his waist. The creature vanishes into the foggy air. Ell fell hard onto the stone floor, now that the spell had worn off. The mercenary then turns his attention to the child, lying broken on the floor. Along with her battered body, her pure soul seemed to have been broken as well. "Are you all right?" he asked softly. "D...Did he harm you?" his wife said, looking at her with a motherly warmth. "................." Ell did not respond. "What is it child?" "He..." she hesitated. "He what?" "He ro...robbed my house and kidnapped me." "We will take you home." Jade said, again with a motherly glow in her words. "Thank you both. I don't know how I can repay you. I have little in the way of gold but I do have..." "Don't worry about it." They both interrupted. "We will not charge you for your rescue." "Oh thank you!" she said with much gratitude. "There is a town nearby, about two miles away. Lets go there first." The trio start the short walk to the town Sandra. A Long Way To Sandra -------------------------------- Your feet are aching. You feel as though you cannot go any further and yet at the same time can't stop walking. There will be a town that we will come across. It is called Sandra. Sandra is at the base of the Sandranity Mountains. We will have to go over the mountains to get to the Point At Which The Beholder Lies. We could go around them, but, that would take another two months and that's time we do not posses. It is going to be about four days til we reach the town. If we make haste we might be able to make it in three." "Three more days. Whew...Only three more days." "It's a small piss-ant town but we should be able to get most of our needed provisions." Over these few weeks your pack has been growing lighter, and so have your meals. Hunger and fategue have become the worst obstruction in you thoroughfare. You must make haste before your suplies deminish. To be continued.....