Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Last of the Iron Fangs - Chapter 1 - Vengeance Unleashed

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska
    Posts
    614

    Default Last of the Iron Fangs - Chapter 1 - Vengeance Unleashed



    Danar and Mayloth Highbough walked down the meandering road from Kion to Sslanis cheerfully, adventurers in search of monsters and fun. The two elves were brother and sister, raised in Tazoon and recently sent out by the elders to travel to every city, mapping out where various recources and monsters lived. Danar, brown haired and blue eyed, was a recent graduate of the mage school in Tazoon. Tall, black haired Mayloth was a slightly more seasoned ranger, having trained as a scout and druid for a while before being allowed to train in Dalimond. Both were young, which accounted for the carefree way they tramped through the Sslanis Basin.

    "Look Danar, grouk," Mayloth pointed out, gesturing towards a clearing that had obviously been cleared by blight. The trees on the outskirts were sick and twisted, mere wraiths of what they had been. "We had better steer clear of these, they look tough"

    "Right," Danar replied, noting the location of the blighted patch on his map. "Those spiders a couple miles back were hard enough. It's a good thing Mother Alyssa has blessed you with the ability to heal yourself and others."

    The pair continued on, stopping now and again to annotate their maps or fight a group of monsters. The day passed slowly, and they had gotten most of the way to Sslanis by late afternoon. They had noticed that the spiders and gruok tended to get weaker and easier to defeat as they neared the Sslik fortress city. Perhaps raiding parties killed off the larger monsters, or the older and wiser creatures steered clear of the stronghold.

    "I think I'm about ready to learn this new fire spell," Danar commented as he blasted the last of this latest patch of spiders. He pulled it out of his pack and sat down to read it as Mayloth stood at the nearby, bow drawn and ready to send a barbed shaft into any survivors that showed it's face. Her finely honed woodcraft and keen elven senses told her that something still lurked in the woods, but what it was, she couldn't tell. It wasn't a spider or gruok, and ruxus weren't supposed to travel in this area. The Sslanis basin was full of hazards, but not this close to Sslanis.

    "Hurry up, brother," Mayloth whispered, drawing her arrow back, the green feathers brushing her cheek. "Something is drawing near, and I don't think it is friendly."

    The bushes at the edge of the clearing twitched and shook for a moment or two, then the creature brazenly stepped out into the light and revealed itself. It was a Sslik, with a mottled blue body that blended into the brush well, bright green eyes and a red crest that could barely be seen under the rows of feathers on either side. It cocked it's head to the side and chirped at the pair, almost as if it were trying to communicate with a tropical bird.

    "It's ok Sis, it's just a lizard," Danar said, lowering his hands. "They are a part of the empire, and aren't allowed to harm any protected by the Empire. Maybe this one can show us around."

    "No, I don't think this is any normal, subserviant Sslik," Mayloth replied. She lowered her bow, but kept a close eye on the blue reptile. She mentaly prepared a root spell, in case the creature should get out of hand. "It isn't wearing any clothing, and it hasn't tried to speak to us in common. I'm afraid that it might try to harm us."

    The Sslik slowly advanced, balancing gracefully on long, razored claws. The noises it made began to get more and more angry and menacing, as did the creatures posture. For the first time, Mayloth got a good look at the sharp teeth and sharp claws of a Sslik in it's prime. The lean and muscular lizard began walking a circle around them, hissing now.

    "Danar, get ready to run for Sslanis," Mayloth whispered. "Tell them that a Sslik is out here, wild and dangerous. The moment I cast this spell, you take off and run hard. We don't know what this thing will do to us."

    "Common Sis, you know you can't take this thing without my help," Danar frowned as the reptile moved to within 20 feet of the pair. "I can't leave you here."

    "Do as I say, I am the elder here," She hissed back. The Sslik crouched, coiling to spring. Mayloth replied by loosing here spell on the beast. As it launched into the air, vines and roots sprang up and snatched it back to the ground. The enraged reptile screamed and thrashed in surprise, biting at the animated foliage. "Go, now!"

    Danar dashed off to the south, sprinting along the path. Mayloth pulled an arrow back and pointed the broadhead right at the lizards face as it rose. The Sslik looked down at the vines, and seemed to trill to them. As fast as they had sprung to life, the plants returned to their normal state, leaving one angry creature free. It dashed off after Danar before Mayloth had even registered that her target was free, and her arrow went wildly astray.

    "Danar, look out," she screamed. She knocked another arrow, and darted off along the path herself. "It got free, and it's coming after you!"

    Danar looked back over his shoulder, and caught a glimpse of a blue figure dashing past him. He turned back to the front, still running full bore. He took two more steps, then felt claws ripping off his face before his mind could register what the blue blur in front of him was. He fell into the beasts arms, and never saw the jaws that closed over his throat and opened it in a spray of crimson. He felt his body disintegrate, and knew that he had died. Never again would Danar cast a spell.

    Mayloth turned a corner and saw the body of her brother laying on the road, everything above his collarbone a bloody smear.She felt, rather than heard the movement to her left, and ducked just in time to avoid a swiping claw. She jumped back and loosed an arrow into the retreating figure, earning a cry of pain. Silence reigned for several heartbeats afterwards, and Mayloth felt herself to be safe once again.

    "Danar, I know you can hear me," she said. "Hang in there, please, I'll fix you up, just don't die, please."

    Several seconds passed, and nothing happened. She knelt down, and reached through the blood to try and find a pulse. When she found none, she stood and cast a spell of healing on the body. Nothing happened. She waited for several moments, then tried again...still nothing. Franticaly she tried every healing spell she knew, some way to start her bothers heart. Every attempt failed. She knew that he had to be alright, he was young and strong. Things had gone horribly wrong.

    She heard a noise behind her, and without thinking she lunged forward. Jaws snapped shut where her head had been, and the beast resumed it's attack. But Mayloth had had enough. She concentrated and willed herself home with a teleportation spell, back to Dalimond. Just as the vicious talons of the Sslik's feet passed into her chest, she disapeared and the razors hit nothing. The lizard sniffed for a moment, trying to discern what trickery this was. When none was apparent, he picked up the carcasse of the dead elf, pulled the arrow out of his tail, and ducked back into the jungle.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Mayloth reintegrated her body into reality at the shrine in Dalimond, tears streaming down her face. She dashed past startled citizens to her trainer, the ranger master Artgith. She burst into the school, past wide eyed initiates and straight to the person she hoped would know what was going on. Danar wouldn't pull a stunt like this, it could only mean that something had gone very wrong. Master Artgith stood from his desk and dashed over to his student when she burst into his office.

    "Mayloth, what happened," he asked. He held her shaking form, shoothing her and waiting for her sobs to subside. "Where is Danar?"

    "He...He's dead," Mayloth stammered. She shook her head, as if trying to convince herself otherwise. "Just like what happened to Mom and Dad. He won't come back. Ever."

    "Oh no, Mayloth, he'll be fine," the old ranger comforted. "I'll run out there and take care of him. He'll be back."

    "No he won't," Mayloth cried back. She shook with sobs that she couldn't contain. "I tried to heal him, everyway I could think of, and nothing worked. And then that lizard came back for me, and I had to leave Danar out there."

    "Lizard? You don't mean a Sslik, do you?" Master Artgith asked with a puzzled expression. When Mayloth nodded silently, he stood back and looked down at his desk. "This is a grave matter, one that an imperial officer needs to handle. Come with me young one, we have to file a report and get this taken care of immediately. We will find out what happened to your brother, don't worry."

    The Minister of Imperial Investigations was an old balding human, Norric Merpo by name. His job tended to be little more than assigning scouts and rangers to gather evidence, and to have other people deal with the paperwork. But for some reason, he took a specific interest in the case. As the tale unfolded, he began to brush his fingers against a scaly leatherbound book, a diary or memior of some sort by the looks of it. When Mayloth ended her story, Norric leaned back and sighed.

    "I have never heard of a Sslik attacking an Imperial Citizen in almost 20 years," he said in a low voice. "Ever since the Iron Fangs were destroyed, back when I was a young warrior under Captain Talenbal. That was the last time anybody in the empire fought with a lizard. There were no survivors then, so obviously this is a rogue Sslik."

    "Is there anything we can do, Master Norric?" Artgith asked, placing a hand on his pupils shoulder. "There has got to be something that can be done to prevent this beast from attacking others."

    "I will dispatch several trackers to Sslanis to hunt this creature down," Norric replied. "It will be captured or killed as soon as possible."

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Vishouth walked into the city of Sslanis several days later. The Saris cleric had been asked to join up with a group of trackers to bring down a vicious beast that had apparently killed and eaten an Imperial Citizen. The remains of Danar had been found in a clearing, but the skilled hunters could not figure out where the beast had gone. But obviously they would have need of a skilled healer. Two humans, and elf and a dwarf had been tasked with the job.

    The leader was a human ranger named Artgith, and he had apparently brought the deceased's brother along to aid in capturing the beast. The dwarf didn't talk much, but the other human, a scout by the name of Barroth, couldn't stop. Vishouth found it not unpleasent, but it did wear away at his patience, especially when they could be ambushed at any time. But they were well into the jungle now, and hadn't been attacked. And no sign could be found of either wild reptile or dead elf.

    For several days the party had been out in the steamy, stinking jungle, with only a few jungle creatures to eat and no sign of anything remotely dangerous. The elven ranger kept getting more and more agitated and weepy as the days continued with no results. The Saris cleric could feel something stalking them, something that the other creatures couldn't begin to sense. Something in the corner of his eye, a slight rustle, an out of place chirp...all pointed to something that was following them, if not stalking them.

    "Vishouth, quit lagging behind," Artgith murmured, his brown eyes scanning the foliage. "Nothing is out there, so acting as bait isn't going to do anything."

    "But misterrr Arrrtgith," the big cat replied. "I am thinking that...Hrrrmmm...Something is out therrre. I can see it...Hrrrmmmm, if only forrr the second."

    Artgith nocked an arrow to his string, trusting in the felines senses. At his nod, the others did the same, with the dwarf loading a heavy crossbow instead. For several long seconds, they waited. Not a bird called, the wind didn't stir, even the heat seemed to pause. Slowly they began to relax, the noisy human, being the first to lower his guard.

    "Heh, silly cat," he scoffed. "You had me spooked for a moment there."

    Vishouth shook his head, and opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a shriek and a blue flash. The human reeled backwards with three long, ragged wounds on his face and several deep puncture marks in his chest. The blue figure leaped off of the falling body and landed in the low jungle canopy. Arrows hissed at it, but the foliage itself seemed to morph, blocking the arrows. The reptile stood defiant in the trees, hissing at the remaining trackers. With a growl it pulled it's hands above it's head, a green glow encompasing them. The vines and brambles seemed to come alive, enveloping the four in a wrapping more secure than any chains.

    "Alyssa, please, release us," Artgith called out, but to no avail. The Sslik dropped to the ground and grabbed the gasping human by the face. It looked it's prey in the eye, trying to decipher the gasping noises it gave off. After a moment, it hissed at the others and left with great speed, the moaning and crying human slung over it's shoulder. "Alyssa, why? How could you?"

    "He got Barroth too," Mayloth sobbed. "It's not alive, it must be one of the Withered Agis, or a demon, or..."

    "That's enough," Vishouth snarled. "Even you can see...Hrrrrmmmm...that it was alive and...Hrrrrmmm...not a monsterrrr. Therrrre is no rrreason...Hrrrmmm...to think otherrrwise."

    "Something has driven that Sslik mad," Artgith mused, looking to the dwarf. "I can't reach my knife, but perhaps I could borrow your blade?"

    "Yeh won't be needen it, laddy," Grizzlebeard replied. "I will be giving these vines, oh, another few seconds before they lay off of us."

    As he finished speaking, the foliage shrank back down to it's normal place, inanimate and non threatening. The remaining trackers immediatley started after the reptile, following the screams of Barroth. After several long minutes of running, they came across the eviscerated corpse. Mayloth turned and emptied her stomach, with the others nearly doing the same. They turned around and began walking away from the carcasse, trying not to inhale the stench.

    "The...the bloody thing ate him," Grizzlebeard managed to choke out, before the hardened dwarf had to swallow back the vomit. "Ate what it could, and took off."

    "We have been...Hrrrrrmmmmm...frrrrightening the prrrrey frrrrom...Hrrrmmm...the arrrea," Vishouth explained, the least affected of the group. "We just...Hrrmm...have to wait for the otherrrr...Hrmm...Sslik trackers to arrive.

    Artgith nodded, and the four slowly and cautiously made their way to the road. In the distance, they heard a faint human scream that was cut off suddenly, but other than that the jungle was pure silence. After what seemed like hours, a group of ten Sslik walked around a corner in the path and approached the hunters. One of them, larger and more powerful than the others, rested his maul on the ground and held out a hand to Artgith.

    "I am Riayu," it said with surpsrisingly little hissing or accent. Vishouth had only encountered a few Sslik in his time, and had never heard one speak before. Perhaps this latest generation of hatchlings had never been taught anything other than common. "You must be Artgith. It is a pleasure to travel with you for this hunt."

    "Where have you been, lizard," Artgith asked angrily. The pack of reptiles murmured a little, but remained passive, just as they should. "We have already lost one of our team to this 'wild' Sslik that you couldn't seem to get wind of."

    "I apologize," Riayu replied softly. He looked out into the jungle and sighed. "Ssilmath Torshak has been notoriously difficult to track down, and when we do, we can't catch him."

    "Ssilmath Torshak," Vishouth mused. "He has a name?"

    "It is a term," Riayu replied, picking up his maul and heading into the bushes. He paused for a moment, then looked back towards the mammals. "It means 'Vengeance Unleashed.' All we know of him is that he is the last of the Iron Fang tribe...his attacks are vengeance for his family."
    Death is the ultimate dilemma and integral to the beliefs and behavior of every culture. Life is bore on the corpses of the dead. Without death, there would be no motivation to do anything. The only emotion would be existing. Life would be pestilent and agonizing.

    Ssilmath Torshak
    Paladin of Kass, Master Armorsmith

  2. #2

    Default Re: Last of the Iron Fangs - Chapter 1 - Vengeance Unleashed

    A great story!
    Looking forward to reading more of this interesting story



  3. #3
    Reshii
    Guest

    Default Re: Last of the Iron Fangs - Chapter 1 - Vengeance Unleashed

    Wow! That's fantastic!
    I love the way you kept in context with the Istarian ways! ^.=.^

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •