Kyri and the others had somewhere to go... ------ Chapter 10. The crumbling path stretched up, up, between slopes dotted with trees that were touched with a stronger, somehow virulent green, and then vanished into shadow cast by the mountains about. "Rivendream Pass," the Wanderer said quietly. "This is as far as my magic can take us, as close to your mystery as I can go without travelling with you." "So, will you?" Poplock asked. "Because that would be really useful, even if you're only half [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 9
January 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment
It's been a while since we looked in on our villain... ----- Chapter 9. "All went well, then?" The light-destroying figure in the mirror-scroll smiled. "Exactly as we expected, yes," Kerlamion said in the eerie deep, howling tones of tortured air. "Condor is on his way back to you even now." It nodded, smiling; despite the human form, anyone watching would have known there was something desperately wrong from that smile alone. "Excellent, my King. I will keep an eye out for him; it would not [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix In Shadow: Chapter 8
January 12, 2015 By 2 Comments
They were at the Spiritsmith's... ------ Chapter 8. "What, young Prince? You thought my skills suited only to metalwork?" The Spiritsmith was dipping a pearlescent cloth into some other liquid that shimmered like moonlight. Kyri saw Tobimar give a wry smile. "I suppose I did assume that, yes. Clearly I was mistaken." "When making armor, can one neglect the padding, the straps, the parts that make it truly wearable and secure? And if these be weak, will they not define the weakness of the [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 7
January 7, 2015 By 4 Comments
Let's check in on another character, shall we? ------- Chapter 7. Aran stumbled, fell to his knees, remained in that position, unmoving, for long moments, waiting for his head to clear. I've been … driving myself hard. Far too hard. A part of him tried to force him to lunge back to his feet, but now he knew that much of that was anger at himself, rage and guilt. "Sit still," he told himself, and sat down. He was near his destination, though he saw nothing to indicate that a path to the Hells lay [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 6
January 5, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Well, their destination involves climbing a certain mountain... ------ Chapter 6. "You're sure about this, Kyri?" Tobimar said, glancing involuntarily downward. The base of the mountain already seemed a very long way away. "As sure as I can be about anything which has not yet been proven," the blue-haired Justiciar answered with a smile. With the helm off and the Raiment mostly cloaked, she looked less like the Phoenix Justiciar, deadly avenger of Myrionar, and more like the young woman he'd [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 5
December 31, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Well, Our Heroes had decided it was time to get moving... ------ Chapter 5. "A far finer parting, this, than the last time you left us, Kyri," said Jeridan Relion, the Watchland of Evanwyl. The ruler of the little country bowed extravagantly low to Kyri, and took her hand in his. Poplock felt the tiniest twitch from Tobimar at that, and wondered how long it would be before his friend talked to Kyri about what he felt. I mean, he can't be unaware of it… can he? "That it is, Jeridan," [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 4
December 29, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Kyri and her party had just had an unexpected guest arrive... Chapter 4. Tobimar hadn't recognized the tall Artan, but he knew the name that Kyri gasped as the warrior nearly fell face-first to the polished stone floor. He taught her entire family, including her parents, her brother, and her sister. Kyri reached the Artan warrior, whose deep-violet hair pooled slightly on the floor before him as he sat on all fours, arms and knees supporting him so he looked like a man broken. "Lythos… Sho-Ka-Taida, are [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 3
December 24, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Kyri was remembering the recent past... ----- Chapter 3. The twin swords flickered at her like darting reflections from a pool of water, and Kyri realized just how very, very good Tobimar Silverun was with those weapons. In moments she deflected two strikes with her own sword, and still felt three, no, four impacts of those blades on her Raiment. And I've already increased my speed some. The raven-black hair was pulled back in a long ponytail that swirled behind Tobimar as he pirouetted away [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 2
December 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment
And now that the preliminaries are out of the way, let's get to our main characters! ------ Chapter 2. "Down!" Kyri shouted. Tobimar reacted just in time; the huge serpent's venom sprayed above his head, striking the grass and bushes behind them, almost instantly turning them gray and brittle. "Terian and Chromaias!" If that struck him, he could be killed! Not that getting hit by the thing's immense teeth or caught by coils the thickness of a strong man's thigh would be any better, but [ Continue reading... ]
Phoenix in Shadow: Chapter 1
December 17, 2014 By 7 Comments
And before we get back to our main heroes, we need to look in on a more conflicted adversary... ------ Chapter 1. Aran felt cold, cold inside, so cold that he was able to ignore his fear entirely. There is nothing to fear here, not now. For what I want and what It wants, they must be the same now. Even so, he had to steel himself to knock at the great stone and metal portal which was the Hall of Balance, the innermost area of the Justiciar's Retreat… and the chosen quarters [ Continue reading... ]
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