"You're right, Jen. The question is, in which chapter are they going to return?" Adina says as she moves closer to get a better look at the glowing stick. "Does anyone know any good stories we can use to pass the time until Yalm comes back?"
"I do know one good story. Its the tale of Finn McCool, a cunning Irish giant. Do you want to hear it?"
Finn a renown warrior was going about his daily duties on the north coast when one of his adversary, a Scottish giant called Benandonner started shouting and ridiculing Finn's fighting prowess. This angered Finn who lifted a lump of earth and pelted it to Scotland as a challenge to this giant. The Scottish giant retaliated with a rock back to Finn shouting that if he could get his hand on him, he would make sure that Finn would never fight again adding that unfortunately he could not swim the short distance across the Channel, so Finn would be spared that fate. Finn got enraged by this and tore large pieces from the cliffs, he worked for over a week pushing these into the ocean bed and made a sturdy causeway to Scotland, when he had finished he shouted 'Now you'll had no excuse' to come over and do your best. Fearing to lose his own reputation and pride the Scottish giant had no alternative but come over the causeway. Finn was tired, having not slept for the week he worked on the causeway and did not feel ready for fighting. He thought about how he could buy some time and recuperate to face the Scottish giant and came up with an ingenious plan. Quickly he made a large cot and disguised himself as a baby ...... and waited. The Scottish giant arrived at Finn's house shouting, 'Where is that coward MacCool', Finn's wife said the he was away but sure sit down and have a cup of tea, he'll not be long. the tea arrived with a cake in which Finn's wife had placed some stones. Benandonner took a bite and broke one of his teeth, and thought to himself, this Finn must be a tough boyo to eat cakes like this, not to be outdone, he finished off the cake and tea, breaking two more teeth in the process. He noticed the baby cot and the baby inside it and his eyes widened in fear, he thought to himself, my goodness if this is the size of the baby? What size is the Father? He reached his hand in to touch the sleeping baby, half out of curiosity and half as a sign of affection, Finn bit the tip of his finger off. Benandonner was shocked by this and thought to himself, if this is what the baby is capable of, what must the father be capable of and what could he not do! This thought terrified him, the fear got the better of him and took to his heels and ran like he had never ran before, back across the causeway to Scotland destroying it as he went.
As he finishes his tale, Aiden sighs.
I miss Ireland...
And if this benign piece of woodland is capable of swallowing up our guide, then what must the dark mountains be capable of and what could they not do...
She falls silent and turns her head, looking for Yalm to return.
"So, where are you all from? What do you do for fun?"
As you all sit waiting Aiden feels a strong grip on his shoulder. You all turn just in time to see the most hideous old.....thing you've ever seen. With no idea what it is or where it came from, you all freak. Then you will notice Yalm standing stall next to the hunched figure. The strange person chuckles allowing you to identify it as an old woman. "Rather high strung aren't they." She responds. Yalm chuckles. "Kids, this is my dear friend, Agatha. She has a hovel we will be staying the night at not far from here. Gather your things and come along."
Yalm and Agatha lead you to a large tree in about ten minutes walk off the beaten trail. "Ah home sweet home." Agatha announces. She goes up to the tree and knocks twice, pauses, knocks once, pauses again, and knocks three times. Then a door appears in the trunk of the tree and opens to reveal a rather large room. The room was at least six feet high and Yalm had to duck to enter. Everything was made of gnarly wood. The table and chair, there was an animal skin rug on the floor. A fire place with a cauldron in it. The cauldron had a nice stew of some sort in it. The smells of spices fills the air with the most desirable aroma. Enough to make ones mouth water. There was a hammock on the far side of the room. A variety of strange knick knacks could be seen hanging on hooks and sitting on selves. None of you have ever seen anything like it. The only problem was, Space was tight with six people.
Agatha turns to you. "Here let me get some cushions. Made them myself." Agatha recovers some cushions from a closet and sets one for each of you in the clear spot on the floor. "Now have a seat, supper is almost ready." Yalm is the first to sit down setting his staff and hat off to the side. "Thank you for this Agatha." As the rest of you seat, feel from to share your expressions, questions, and concerns.
When the cold, old hand tightens over his shoulder, Aiden's hand instinctively dives into his pocket, closing around his dad's pen knife.
Seeing Yalm with the old hag. "What gives? Scaring us half to death..."
Aiden walks along, bursting with curiosity at this place and these people. When they get to Agatha's house.
"Mmm. That smells good, I'm starving. So, are you a wizard too Agatha?"
After the strange string of events during the day, Jen had almost come to expect Agatha's surprise entrance onto the scene. As they enter her home, Jen feels much more comfortable, confined in such a small and cozy space.
It feels just like my room, except for the cauldron.
Agatha turns to Aiden and Floyd with a rather disturbing smile. "I am a witch and the soup is made with human fingers." She then cackles maniacally. She then starts to chuckle normally. "I am just kidding. I am a witch but the soup is made with a collection of woodland creatures and wild vegetables. Here I will make you all some bowls." She fills several wooden bowls with the soup and passes it out to everyone.
The chill of fear had swept through Adina when Agatha had first appeared, but it had passed quickly enough when she saw Yalm. Still, that chill made her thankful for the fire.
"That is too bad, Agatha. I've never had soup that doubled as finger food before." She tastes the soup and and smiles. "This is delicious! It is a specific recipe or just something you put together?"
Wow! This is really goood.
Aiden smiles while chewing his firtst bite. For the first time since coming to this world, he begins to feel comfortable.
With his confidence building in him, he asks.
"Where do we go from here? Is there like a secret rebel camp where we'll train then take ove the bad guys?"
He says this last bit with an ironic tone.
As Jen savors the soup, she reminisces about her past camping trips. The soup reminded her of some of the food that they ate on her very first camping trip at the age of seven, when the campers forgot to bring any rations and were forced to forage for food.
No, this was much better. Both the soup and the trip. There was no way this could even compared to her old camping trips, but comparing her journeys to the past helped her stay grounded and less fearful.
Yalm looks to Aiden. "Yes as a matter of fact my home is something of a secret rebel base. I am a rebel against the powers that be."
I have more to post but I have to run off to work for the next 9 hours, I will post more then.
Aiden sits back at Yalm's open admission to being a rebel. He nods to the wizard.
Ok, is this going to be the IRA all over again?
"Um.. isn't that a little dangerous? If you used to be friends with.. Xivasar? Doesn't that mean he knows where you live?" Adina asks hesitantly. "It doesn't seem like the best place for a rebel camp."
Yalm chuckles. This is my home now. Not when he and I were friends. Right now he sees me as his greatest threat. Therefore, I needed a new hidden home. That is what this is. A hidden rebel base. Like out of a movie." Yalm looks a bit confused at what he had just said. He then thinks a moment and before any of you can ask any questions he speaks Let me tell you about the sorcerers of old.'
As you all eat your squirrel stew, Yalm sets himself up for a long story. "Many years ago, the elementals took the forms humans and began to pass their powers onto the mortals of this world. The elementals sought after specific individuals who were especially in tune with the elements. These individuals were then infused with the powers of the elements. There are also beings that are born of the elements who breed with mortals to produce to different variants of the same kind of powers. Therefore there are to forms of each elemental power. These forms allow for different versatility and a difference in sorcerers. There are the Aquatic Sorcerers and the Marid Sorcerers, The Deep Earth Sorcerers and the Shaitan Sorcerers, the Flame Sorcerers and the Ifreet Sorcerers, The Stormborn and the Djinn sorcerers. There is also the very elementals themselves. Now it is said that there are certain individuals that can be found in other worlds that also posses these traits inherently. The way I have seen it, Each of you are draw to a specific element and there is a chance, that each of you will master all three of each elemental forms which will make you all, more powerful than any sorcerer who has ever existed. I mean. You'd have to be to defeat Xivasar. What's better, there are four of you against him. This will be the most colossal battle Kellmanor has ever witnessed. Truly can't wait to see it in action." Yalm cleared his throat. "Sorry, I get carried away when talking about things like that gets me excited. Sorry for that"
Agatha laughs. "Here let me set up your beds for the night." Agatha sets up bedrolls along the floor. You all curl up on the floor and fall asleep for the night.
The next morning you are awoken by Yalm. "Time to get up, we have to get moving." Yalm's seems to be in a bit of a hurry. He doesn't give you much time to ask questions and if you manage a question or two he simply responds "Not now, we'll talk more once we are at may place."
Agatha approaches bearing five carefully wrapped satchels. "Here, some fresh rations for the day. You each get one. Before you leave, the old women gives you each a hug and a large bundle. [b]"Here you go. For the road. I really must thank you for coming to visit a lonely old woman. I wish we had more time to talk but it seems Yalm is in a hurry and I wouldn't want to keep you from saving us all. Take care and best of luck. Oh and if you ever get some free time, do come and visit."
As you leave, she stands at the door waving good-bye.
Once on the road Yalm has accelerated your place extensively. Again, he leaves you no opportunity to ask questions. After 4 hours on quick hiking he stops. "Okay, rest and eat. I am going to look around. Do not worry, I will be close and will know if any danger approaches you. Trust me, no harm will come to you." With that, Yalm races off into the woods and vanishes yet again.
In the satchel are fresh fruits and vegetables along with some freshly cooked and salted venesion. You remember the smell when you were awakened. There is also a piece of bread that is much softer than the stuff you had before. All the food is organic with no additives, pesticides, or genetic engineering. Good food. You also each got a water skin with it.
You will have noticed a rather distressed look on Yalm's face for most the morning. Though you have yet to have the opportunity to talk to him, and barely to each other. You know something isn't right.
"Hey did you all notice Yalm today? Something's wrong and I don't like it. I mean, yesterday it was "save our world! It'll be a magical fun, happy time!" Now it's "you're the most powerful ever and you have to fight the big bad evil dude!"...What are we going to do?"
"You noticed too? I thought maybe I was imagining things." Adina says as she takes a drink from her waterskin. Like everything else she had eaten in this world, it tasted fanstatic. "I don't like it either. You don't think he's having second thoughts, do you?"
Setting her packs down, Adina stretches and has a dreadful thought.
"What if that isn't Yalm?" She asks fearfully.
Aiden's face goes a shade whiter at Adina's words. After a moment, he recovers himself.
"Well, if it is or isn't, we have no way to tell and no choice but to trust him."
Aiden pulls his knife out of his pocket and fidgets with it.
I did not notice a thing, even though I was watching all morning. Are you sure that you were not reading into the situation too much?
Travelling to a new dimension isn't exactly good for one's mental sanity. Quick, how many fingers am I holding up? She holds up three fingers.
"Three..."
Aiden answers, his face completely placid.
"I see three fingers too." Adian says, confirming her mental health. "It's just that some things don't make any sense. Like, Yalm said his magic is just parlor tricks here, and I don't think traveling between worlds and bringing people back counts as a parlor trick."
Bored with his knife, Aiden pulls out his zippo and lights it.
Masters of the elements? I wonder...
Aiden focuses on the fire. Watching it dance, he wills it to move as he directs: left, right, right, left...
Well we saw Agatha's magic as well. If Yalm is leading a rebel force, then he probably has many formerly powerful spellcasters as allies. Together, I'm sure they could have almost done anything.
Or maybe he has access to his full capacities, but he is just using it as an excuse to not teleport us. Perhaps this journey is more important than the destination. But I still don't see the purpose...
Jen looks at Aiden playing with his zippo lighter and a familliar refrain plays in her ear.
Only you can prevent forest fires.
Yalm returns quickly and without surprise as you seem him moving at a brisk pace of in the distance. He approaches. "Everything should be fine for now, but we need to get moving. My place is another couple of hours walk from here so lets go." With that you all are up and following the wizard once more.
After another three more hours of traveling in the dense forest, you come to a quaint little clearing. The sunlight is still lingering but will set in the next two too three hours. In the clearing you see a very cozy looking cottage and a horse coral. Next to the cottage is a four story tower that looks like it came right off a castle. Yalm gestures. "Ah here at last. Home sweet home." As Yalm approaches and you follow, you will allow notice the coral is not housing just any horses, but Unicorns. There are three of the brilliantly white and pure steeds racing majestically around in the coral. Also you will all notice a young boy black haired boy among the horses waving in your direction. Yalm waves back. "And there is my faithful servant Leorn. How are you ma boy?"
As you approach the fence, the boy known as Leorn runs up to meet you all. "Yalm! Something has happened. Alexander has been in your room and he is quite upset. He's been cursing for the past hour and moving about in a hurry. I think he is preparing to leave." Yalm looked noticeably stricken at hearing the news. "Oh no! Not now!" Yalm exclaimed. With that he ran off to the cottage leaving you with the boy known as Leorn.
If you all take a look at Leorn you will instantly be aware of his long pointy ears. He's an elf. He is also more attractive looking than any man any of you have ever seen. There is not a single blemish on his perfectly sculpted face. He looks to you and smiles. "Don't worry about that. Family trouble. I'm sure Yalm will sort things out." Leorn looks at the house with a concerned expression on his face. "At least I hope it works out this time."
Leorn then looks back at the rest of you with a more perky and excited expression. "Wow, you must be them. The Sorcerers Yalm was always speaking about. My name is Leorn. I am Yalm's servant, I for the most part take care of him and in return, he takes care of me. So what are your names and where did Yalm find you?" He waits eagerly to hear your responses.
Family trouble? hmm...
Aiden does a very poor job of not staring at the elf.
"I am Aiden, Yalm found me in a coffee shop. Where'd he find you?"
Adina takes a moment to steal another glance at the horses before introducing herself.
"My name is Adina, and Yalm found us all in a coffee shop." She pauses, thinking. "Though you might call them tavern here? I'm not sure."
Unicorns! Maybe, just maybe, they'll let me ride one.
And I'm Jen. Say, are those unicorns over there? I've ridden many horses back in our world, but we don't have unicorns.
Or elves, for that matter.
Leorn looks a bit surprised. "I have never heard of a tavern called coffee shop before. Is it a fun place?"
At the question of where Yalm found him Leorn seems pleased. "Leorn rescued me and my brother Jem-" Suddenly Leorn's expression changes drastically from excited to worried. He looks past you for a moment. "You never met Jemmi have you?" If you say no his expression worsens a bit before he manages to correct it. "Well, Yalm adopted us though my brother isn't around anymore."
You will notice that Leorn has been struggling to contain himself. We looked as though he had been stricken with the news that a loved one had just died when you mention that you have not seen Jemmi. He looks as though he is barely holding himself together right now even as he continues to talk.
"Those are real Unicorns alright. I know their rare but Yalm has eight right now. seven females and one male. They are beauties aren't they?"
What are we doing here? So much mystery...I want some answers...
"Yeah, beautiful."
Unless Jemmi disguised himself as a witch, then I don't think so. Can the unicorns talk?
"I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him either." The way the look on Leorn's face changed.. what did it mean? "Um, if it isn't too much trouble, could we go see the unicorns? Up close?"
Leorn smiles. "You all can come in and see them. I don't mind. They can talk though it is a language few can understand. I am fortunate to have been trained in wild empathy."
Leorn leads you all into the coral. There you guys are approached by the very intelligent creatures. The examine you all as if trying to determine what you are.
"They seem to recognize that you all are special in some way. They can sense it. They tell me you have a conection that goes......beyond....the barrier? What does that mean?" Leorn looks as though he is listening for a minute. "Strange, I have no idea what they are talking about. They keep telling me that you are all connected to the elements somehow. A hyper....dimension thingy allows you to form some kind of link. I really don't know what all that means but maybe Yalm does."
Adina's heart starts beating faster as the unicorns move near, and even faster when Leorn explains that they knows things about them. She may not have been much of a horse fan back home like some of her friends, but these were no horses! Not even close. These were living legends! She begins to wonder what else they might know, wondering if the legends from back home were true, as she reached out a shaking hand... She gasped lightly when her fingers brushed across the unicorn's hide, and she almost jerked her hand back.
"It feels like velvet or silk... only softer and smoother."
Aiden watches Adina brush her hand along the unicorn.
Those are pretty cool
He hangs back, not wanting to hog the moment from the ladies. He just watches patiently.
Jen looks deep into one of the unicorn's eyes and sees her stare back with understanding. If only I could speak to them and learn their language. Jen places a hand gently on the side of the unicorn's face and pets her in a calming manner. She doesn't say a word.
Recruitment is up in Gamer Connections tell your fiends to check it out
After keeping quiet for most of the trip just in shock for everything that is happening so fast and still trying to digest it all
I'm sure god exists now I pleaded for a change of zipcode to travel but this is way overboard. In addition I might add we got unicorns, not that I mind of course they are great and beautiful as he looks around again in total disbelief They also speak, I just wish I have brought something other than just my regular fatigues, shoes and shirt
Still looking somewhat out of place trying to somehow find a way to absorb everything, you can see in his eyes he truly is enjoying it all but at the same time it's just to much to be able to live in a world only a book would normally have or a videogame.
Before you can say anything more you here a commotion at the door of the cottage and two men barge out of the the door. One is Yalm but the other is an armored young man. The young man seems vary upset. Yalm is following the man pleading. "Please don't go! Your needed here! We will save Kellmanor, just like you want!" The young man turns on Yalm. "Silence old man! I know what your up too and I will not go along with such a mad scheme! Kellmanor needs heroes not more magic caster! You seek to control me and use me as a puppet in your little plan but I will not have it!" With that the man loads the last of his things onto another Unicorn standing just outside the cottage. He quickly mounts inspite of Yalm's pleas. Be begins to ride when suddenly he notices the four of you. He stares in disbelief. "Gods. Yalm you are a fool." He turns violently to the wizard. "These are unseasoned brats and nothing more. Your madness goes even deeper than I realized. Your lucky I don't cut you down where you stand!" He turns back to you. "You! Children! Go back to wherever it is this old fool dragged you from! Whatever he promises don't believe it! It is all lies! He will only use you for his mad plan to defeat Xivasar! Now go!" Without another word The man kicks at his horse and races off into the forest. Yalm tries to give chase but is too slow on foot to even hope to catch. He is left standing there with his hand reached out as if he is beckoning for the boy to return. He lowers his hand and let his head hang in defeat. He then looks over and notices you. He walks over and looks very uncomfortable. "I am sorry you had to see that. That was Alexander my grandson. He.......did not believe in the prophecy. Come, lets go inside and get you some food. Leorn get dinner ready please." Leorn turned to Yalm. "Yes master I will have it done in a jiffy." Leorn whistled to the Unicorns and they all head into the stable. You all follow Yalm into the house. It is a cozy looking cottage of decent size and with more than one room. You all take a seat at the long table. Yalm sits down at the end. The rest of you sit where you like.
Shouldn't we chase after him? It seems that we need all the help that we can get.
He could be in danger, out there by himself. Is it that he doesn't believe in the cause, or is it because he doesn't believe in your method?
Jen takes a seat at the table.