• _Unnamed fiction_

    -Introduction and background-

    As he crept over the hill, dead Clarians all about him, newborn child in his arms, he caught glimpse of the end. The bridge looked so complete, so whole, so fulfilling, it was...life. The few Clarians that opposed him he slew with his blade, until he met something unexpected. There before him was the dark king, mounted on his horse. The king dismounted and drew his blade. With child in arm Dracius battle the foe, but in the end he was lost, slew upon the blade of his rival. But before he gave his last breath, he blessed his new born son with his power, strength and will, and cursed his foe with the same breath, then he died. The dark lord was puzzled...He did not know what to do. In a glimpse of genius he snatched up the child and rode off. 12 days later the Hordian forces captured his base and breached his strong hold, neither him, nor the child of there king could be found....All was lost. The Hordian race dwindled and there proud and noble people nearly died off, The remains of that great civilization almost ceased to exist. But they are not yet dead, there are still few, in 0the ruins of there old capital, in a land few go.

    In the year 2115 nuclear war was inevitable, the powers of the east arose to the strength of the west, nuclear war erupted, and almost all was lost. The fall-out ended and the world revived...almost. Almost 200 years past before the plant life returned to its former state, and it took another thousand years for the dominant race of earth, man, to dwindle to -20% of its former being. Life advanced into the dark ages and many things happened about. Monster and creature and races of all likes began to spring up out of the ground, mountains and sea. The wisest of man were called up by, what seemed to be the greatest of all that had arisen. His name was Artimis, and he announced himself as the guardian of the Earth. He close to 10,000 years early had given the Earths first civilization a choice. Magic or technology, the earth of course chose technology, the great races died off, the monsters seized to exist and magic vanished, all of which, to become cars, plans, fuel, fire, guns, most important...science. This time around the great leaders chose the other option, for they themselves saw what good the other races were, the productivity, there differences, the wise leaders chose magic, and for the first time in nearly 1000 year the world began to show promise.

    But it was only time before, like technology, magic fell into the hands of evil. The world was thrust into a war, battling summons and all other evil of the Clarian army. The king of the great Gnolls was slain and all was thought to be lost, for the Gnolls were a great race and most believed that it would be them to win the battle, the Clarians burnt the Gnoll capital and killed most of there race, in shock and fear the remaining races bound together and defeated the Clarians, but their dark king was never found, nor the great son of the Gnoll king. But all was not lost, the earth lived in peace for 200 years and a day, until the first day of the year 3523.

    You see monsters had been around, great and small, feared and forgotten, monsters existed, but none were to great, until the first day of 3523. Knoghexzer(no-eye-zer) emerged from the fiery depths of Mt. Kjought. He was a massive foe, a great dark dragon, who had slept for a thousand years, and with him emerged one who had not been seen for 200 years, The dark king, Norphiin, had returned. In a matter of days created an army and began conquering his old lands. He established a capital and gathered his power. The Great Races fell back on there old Alliance and prepared for war again, with the dark king, and his weapon.

    I

    He was silent, scared, and most of all, tired, but Crimsun had to push on. He was the wizard Crimsun, master of all Earth Magic, nothing could stop him. To the mind of a 12 year old, that was true. He had never seen something so powerful, a level 20 Orc Bezerker dual wielding broadswords. Crimsun held up his hands and began to cast. The Bezerker felt a odd feeling, he turned to see Crimsun, sweating, his hands extend and mumbling in an illegible tongue.

    Suddenly Crimsun looked up and smiled, as the ground before him burst up into jagged pillars, stabbing the Bezerker, but before the Bezerker could lift himself off of the the spike, a jet of molten magma gushed out, burning the flesh intensely. In a matter of 30 seconds all that was left, was some rusted armor, half of a broad sword, and Crimsuns vampire rune, which the Bezerker had unrightfully taken. Crimsun felt drained and retired to his hide out. He had been battling all day and was wasted. Climbing up into his tree din, he beamed with the joy, for he felt the great feeling of his Vampiric Rune. The rune draws life fro surrounding things and focuses them into the wearer. As his life forced was restored he thought......'Where can i get the money?' He was in need of a little money to pay off a debt to a certain 3 friends of his, he employed them in a bank robbery, they failed. But the sad part is...You still have to pay them.

    He thought of robbing another bank, but his partners in crime wouldn't be in to that, again. 'What to do?!?!', he thought, when suddenly, he was struck with a moment of clarity. 'The great contest is coming up, I'll enter and then steal the prize', he exclaimed, for he knew there was no way he could win. He rummaged through his bag until he found the pamphlet and then he began to real. The contest called for a team of three to battle a set monster or another team of three. Based on how quick the match was, the techniques and # of time an opponent took damage, a score would be composed. The highest score possible was 34. Players build there points through the matches until only two teams are left. Teams are eliminated once the have been defeated, regardless of there point total. At the end the person with the highest point total has a choice of either, exchanging it for money (10grif per point) or exchanging it for prizes. Eliminated foes may also exchange there points for money (.1grif per point) or prizes, there points don't go as far. That was it, the perfect scheme, now, he only needed 2 other team members.

    He showered and got prepared. As he left his hide out, he grabbed his staff, O , what a wonderful staff, passed down from his grand father unto him, the Staff of Owen. He, though, was not yet powerful enough to cast its ability, the feared Earth spell Soul Quake, but it still drew earth power into him, much like his vampire rune does to living things. He marched down the road, through the woods, past his grand-mothers old house, and into town.
    It was a quite day, cold and dreary, he wished he hadn't had to go today but he did. He approached Mr. Herifins general store and entered. Prying 4 grif from his pocket he continued to pay off his ever growing debt to Mr. Herifins, He currently owed 5430.12 grif to Mr. Herifins for accidentally killing his pet. And just as always he would pay and Mr. Herifins would say as Crimsun left, 'don't feel bad every grif counts'.

    Crimsun knew that under his breath, Mr. Herifins would always say, 'Every grif Counts..but they count a lot quicker if you'd pay with real cash'. Crimsun didn't mind, he was short on money, and it seemed as if the whole world knew it. As he continued down the path he encountered a man, of sum age you might add, looking through the alchemists window. Crimsun, having never seen the man before approach him from behind. The man see crimsun in the window, promptly turned around and greeted him, introducing himself as Venik the Archmage. Crimsun was stunned, 'another spell-caster', he though. Reading his mind Venik agreed with him,
    'Yes I'm a Caster too and I've been looking for an apprentice, you, yourself, seem to be in need of some direct'. 'What do you know?', stated Crimsun rudely. Venik only smiled.
    'I know more than you think lad', he laughed. 'I'm offering you a job, follow me on my quests and In return I will teach you many wonders and things, including the inner power of that little staff you carry'. Crimsun was speechless, his plans for the tournament no longer mattered, this was an opportunity of a life time, but so much still puzzled him.

    'How did you find me? and why me?', he asked. Venik was happy ot answer, 'Your a very special Wizard, you see, wizards of your element are rare, fire being the most common, and air only second to it, you might say out of 150 wizards 5 are of Earth element. Your a prized class, and much needed by me.' 'Much needed?!' Crimsun question. But like before it was only answers Venik stated 'My child, I am the leader of a most powerful guild, we are in a process of training casters to fill some of our members places, through my abilities I found you and I saw that through proper guidance you could become a most powerful and right wizard.' 'Who am I going to replace?' The questioner asked. 'You and I will discover that in time' was the only answer. Crimsun was still curious though, he had before been back stabbed and he just wasn't open to trusting everyone. 'What to do, what to do', He thought. 'Well, I've got nothing better to do' Crimsun said to Venik. Venik replied, 'then every other day, every week, your are to report to me for training and learning, the other days, you are to practice what I teach you. I will be hard and strict on you, but through proper guidance you can become very powerful and extremely potent in your abilities. Only time will tell though.' And with a handshake and kind word, they parted, both of which thought they were getting a sweet deal. Its funny though, because they were both right.

    The day began like any other, Crimsun awoke, knowing that it was his first day of training. He readied himself, ate, then promptly left and hurried to where he was told to meet. 'Hurikt gardens', he murmured. 'It looks like the right place', he stated as he stood in front of a big black gate, one side of which was open. Upon entering he was taken in by the beauty of the place, everything was shear spectacular. The trees swayed in the wind. The grass flowed like a warm breeze or the cool water of the ocean, it all seemed to be a paradise in the midst of a wasteland. He wandered around until he came Upon a tower of 3 stories. He knocked on the door and the familiar face of Venik Greeted him. 'Come in!,Come in!', Venik gestured. Crimsun, of Course entered, seating himself, he looked around. The walls were covered with writings, drawings and pages torn from old books. Some of which he could read. Old science articles and past war stories made of the most of them, but one stood out. Its was a language he had never seen before, Something not in Common. It was elvish he thought. Looking at Venik his thoughts were confirmed by a nod and 'Yes, Crimsun there Elvish'. 'Its a song, though I'm not much for singing, it happens to be my favorite', stated Venik. 'Alas it is time for knowledge', Venik laughed as he scrambled through his books and papers, tossing things left and right, until finally coming to what he was looking for. 'The doctrine of Gotep' the book was entitled.

    Opening it Venik and for three Long minute Crimsun stared at the outside of that book until suddenly it was gone, not only the book but Venik. 'Magic is at times boring, but once must have patience', said a voice from over his shoulder, which nearly caused Crimsun to bump his head on the roof. Venik laughed. He handed Crimsun the book. ;That is a book of middle power Earth magic, I want you to study it, it will allow you to use your staffs ability and make you very powerful, now just don't skip around, read it from front to back', Venik said as Crimsun skimmed through the pages. 'Its in English!', Crimsun laughed. Venik looked puzzled, 'can't you read English?' he questioned. Crimsun, being a Gnome, only spoke 2 languages, common, and Gnome, neither of which were respected or written with. solemnly Crimsun said, 'no!'. Venik understood and sat down. 'Well you man were going to have to teach you English', handing him a peace of paper and a pen Venik ordered, 'now i want you to copy down everything I write and write it for 2 straight weeks, I've put a magical incantation on the writing so by then you should know the Language ok?' Curiously Crimsun replied, 'Yes sir'. 'Today was a short lesson so that will be all', said Venik dismissing Crimsun. Crimsun thanked Venik and left, returning home...to study.