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[Vortigern]

The step pyramid reared up towards the heavens, towering mightily above even the tallest trees. At the peak, Etzi could see the priests, animal skins pulled down low over their faces, as they prepared for the sacrifice of Quetxca, the holy day of all holy days. This day only occurred once every nine years. Soon the high priest would reveal to the world a new prophecy, read in the entrails of the freshly-slain jaguar, which would later become the garb of a priest, when another became too threadbare. The jaguars were the chosen animals of the gods, and killing one on any day but Quetxca would guarantee almost instantaneous death, but today... Today nothing could break the holy spirit.

Etzi smiled to himself, wondering what the priest would come up with. He and some of the other locals had a little pool running on what it might be. Etzi had favoured predictions of good harvests in the near future, at odds with his best friend Zutxi, who had plumped for war breaking out.

"If there is a war coming, I'd be a fool not to try and make a bit of money off it before it starts," he had joked.

"Yeah, well I just hope you haven't cursed it," Etzi had replied. War was not a topic he was comfortable with. Though proficient with his spear and the heavy iron blade that lay in the locked chest in his home, Etzi simply preferred peace. Life was for growing, not for destroying.

A crowd had begun to gather at the base of the step pyramid. Within a few minutes the sun would hit its highest point, and the polished bronze mirror atop the pyramid would blaze the light directly inside the catacombs of the pyramid, bouncing from mirror to mirror until it emerged at the very base, shooting out in a wide ray that would encompass all who stood and watched. Etzi had wondered time and time again if this was merely a trick by the priests to dazzle the people while they did a bit of hocus-pocus out of sight. The crowd fell silent, watching, waiting. The moments passed slowly, terribly slowly, until suddenly the mirror hissed, catching the sun and glancing it off down below. The blaze came free from the base of the steps, and Etzi shielded his eyes, unable to stand the withering glare.

"Behold, my people!" shouted the high priest. "Prophecy is made today, and the new cycle begins! Let Quetxca begin!" A cheer rose up from those on the ground, silenced a moment later as the priest stared deep into the spilt entrails of the once-noble jaguar that adorned the altar. "A champion, my people!" he yelled. "A champion of his people, a man who will deliver greatness to his friends and death to his enemies! And-" the high priest suddenly stopped, and Etzi could just about make out, through the spotty haze before his eyes, the other priests looking at each other, somewhat uncomfortably. The high priest seemed to have gone pale. "The champion stands among us today," said the high priest, quietly, authoritatively, his voice carrying to the far reaches of the crowd without trouble. "And should he not succeed in his quest, he, his companions and his people will all be dead before the next Quetxca."

People on the ground began to edge away, none wanting to be the hero. Etzi looked around for Zutxi, wondering if he wanted to make a quick bet on who the champion would be. It was only then that he noticed a space forming around him, the others having edged away enough to leave him noticeably alone.

"Behold the champion," said the high priest, and his index finger pointed unerringly to Etzi. "Dig beneath your feet, champion. The gods tell us this is the first stage of your quest." Etzi, confused and unbelieving, but still obedient, began to scratch away at the earth with his fingers. After only a few moments he found something, and scraped away around it until he could pull it up.

"The weapon of a champion." The high priest looked a strange mix of triumphant and disconsolate. Etzi held in his hands a golden axe, shining brightly though it had been buried in mud, the edge as sharp as the day it was forged. Whispers spread like flames around the people at the base of the pyramid, and the high priest began to descend from the colossal structure.

"This can't be right," muttered Etzi.

"Oh, but it can," answered the priest, though he was still halfway up the pyramid. "The gods have chosen all manner of men in the past. A lot now rests on your shoulders, and you have no choice but to accept the challenge, or you doom us all. The axe you hold right now is proof of the truth of the prophecy." Etzi swallowed. This was turning into a day to remember.

((OK, there's a basic introduction. If anyone wants to help Etzi find out his first challenge on the road to quest-victory, go ahead. The high priest is always available. By the way, I was intending for Zutxi to offer to come along too, in case you hadn't guessed. Oh, and, I don't expect your posts to be this long. Generally one paragraph at a time will do fine, I just thought the introduction could use a bit of extra background and setup, for obvious reasons. Anyway, go!))

[Rafv Nin IV]

Etzi stood, perplexed, for a few moments, gazing down at the brilliant gold. He was a mere artisan--while he did not live off the dredges of society, surely such an honor and such a doom did not deserve to grace him. He, a jeweler, did not, could not, face the evils of the Seqaton, the abominations that were the servants of the Gods of Destruction. Why had this happened?

Etzi knelt, laying the axe before him. He wept. Etzi knew he had no choice but to pursue this quest, but the "why me's" and the thoughts of losing all those dear to him assailed Etzi regardless.

"Rise! Time is a bonfire that brings light and hope," cried the high priest, "but the flames consume the very fuel of their substance!"

But the priest's urgings fell upon deaf ears. Etzi thought of his wife and their daughter, Shav-va. She was to turn eight on the next cycle of the moon. He pondered upon his friends and his enemies, and how he would have to risk everything to save them both. Desperation seized Etzi.

The crowd edged away quickly, glad that they had not been the chosen. Priests returned to their abodes, pondering the prophecy and what it entailed. Still Etzi stared at the beautiful, and yet terrifying, weapon in front of him. He would have remained so until the sun had fallen and risen again, but a rough voice and a strong hand guided him to his feet. Standing beside him, Zutxi offered support and a staid pillar for his friend to lean on.

Edited by Ravnin IV, 01 November 2008 - 06:16 PM.

[some_weirdGuy]

Far off in the haunted lands to the east, where the ancient temples and monuments of death stood like tombstones in a vast swampy graveyard, Xalazar the Sorcerer mounted vigil on the forgotten temple of Yum Cimil.

Xalazar, possessor of incredible magical potential, having reached levels others could do nought but envy, could feel the gargantuan power welling up beneath him, sending tingles down his fingertips, simply standing as he was before the ruined temple. Xalazar well knew the myths surrounding these ancient stones; stories of bloodshed, of death, of an evil so great that even the worst fiends of Hell would not allow it back amongst them. The finest lot of bat guano Xalazar ever did hear!

But unlike the other magickers he did not fall for such superstitious nonsense. They called him a fool, ridiculed him for pursuing this course... but who would have the last laugh when Xalazar wielded the power hidden within this ancient tomb?

"Me, that's who," he whispered to himself. He resisted a cackle.

He pulled from his pack the map of the stars; only when in the correct alignment could the enchantment be cast and the magic guarding the temple broken. A deep mournful note rang out from the depths. Xalazar may not have believed in nonsense, but the dangers of this place were very real. Great enchantments bound creatures to guard the lower depths of the tomb. None, to the best of Xalazar's knowledge, had ventured down past the first 4 levels and lived, and if his calculations were correct, the ancient temple descended at least another 8 levels deeper than that.

The ancient Order had assembled here, or so it was said, whereupon they had sealed away the great power Xalazar now felt.

"In chambers inaccessible to both man and demon the dread lord slumbers, until the fall of eternity".

Legends also told of Yum Cimil, the demon lord, given incarnate form by the power of a single orb. This orb was what Xalazar sought; with its power he could become as a god and rule these lands. Even should this demon lord prove real, the orb would not be sealed in the same room. All Xalazar had to do was retrieve the orb without breaking the seal surrounding the demon King; he could not foresee anything too difficult for one of his magical prowess.

As he stood contemplating he remembered the greater demon he had summoned.

"I command you, denizen of the pit, by right and binding magic. I command you to obey my orders! You will assist me in the retrieval of the orb of Yum Cimil!"

The ground shook and, far below, Xalazar could sense the binding chains of the ancient magic beginning to bend.

"Yum Cimil Shall Not Be Unleashed!!" The demonic, rumbling hiss of the demon's voice caused the nearby trees to tremble.

"To pursue this path is to doom your world. The new Lord of Hell will not allow Yum Cimil to return. Should you unleash him the lives of your entire world shall be forfeit! Do not waste my time by calling me again, or I shall drag you into the depths of damnation!!" A storm of hellfire surged at Xalazar, and only his fast reaction, combined with the prepared defences he had spent so much time on, withheld the flames, preventing his incineration. As Xalazar looked at his palms, inspecting them for fire damage, he noticed that the edge of the treeline was scorched. Where the magical flames had touched the wood it had begun to rot. This was a dark magic indeed that inhabited this forsaken temple.

((Reason for edit: Mainly spelling, grammar and punctuation but also, summoning greater demons? Isn't that a bit clichéd? I was hoping for a more subtle form of magic. And please leave out the ...s, they drive me nuts. There is one appropriate use above, I changed the sentence a little to fit it in as a tribute to you.))

Edited by Vortigern, 03 November 2008 - 08:43 PM.

[Fire Ze Missiles!]

((Quick note here: I'm working on the premise of the Great Snake being the constellation which indicates when it is Quetxca and also being the symbol of the Chief God of these people.))

Staring up into the evening sky, Xalazar sought the constellations indicated on his star-chart. He had to be sure of what he was doing or, as the lore would have it, the incantation would 'be brought down upon the enchanter with a hundred times the force he sent it with'. But his calculations were not incorrect. The alignment was true and the Great Snake cast his blazing eyes down upon the lands of his chosen servants. It was as he had heard at the village where he had stayed the night - today was the sixty-sixth Quetxca in the cycle, the weakest link in the chain of defences that guarded Yum Cimil from within and without.
Stowing away the star-chart, Xalazar brought out the weapons he would need in the fight to come. No clubs of stone or blades of bronze for Xalazar - his weapons were words, runes and enchantments. He grasped the Staff of Ecxaltha in his right hand (that had been a nightmare to retrieve from its enchanted resting place at the peak of the highest of the World Mountains) and a small talisman in his left, the original colours almost lost behind the profusion of runes that covered it. Scattering about him the various other thaumaturgical errata necessary for the enchantment, he sketched a rough protective circle in the dust about himself - his experience with the demon had taught him the value of these fiddly devices.
Ready at last, he took a quick drink from the water-skin at his hip and drew a deep breath, exultant in the moment. After all those years of planning, preparation, insignificance...finally he, Xalazar, would become the single most powerful man in the world. He gazed contemptuously into the sky, regarding the Great Snake with a cold disdain.
"You are nothing," he decreed and with a flourishing of his hands, he began the dark incantation...

[Vortigern]

"Trials and tribulations await you, Etzi. More than that I cannot tell you," said the priest. Etzi sighed. He had expected no more. "All I can do is advise you right now. Go east. What you will find there I do not know, but the gods will be on your side."

"Which ones?" muttered Etzi. He was not best pleased with the gods today.

"I do not know. Were I you, I would offer sacrifice to Ecxaltha. You will need the strength of the sun god himself to aid you in these tasks." Etzi nodded. His faith in the gods was passive, at best, but it could not hurt to try. "And keep your friend close to you. Companionship will be a great virtue in your quest."

"Zutxi would follow me to hell and back."

"I hope for both your sake it does not come to that." Etzi paused, unsure. The priest seemed to be taking seriously the idea of the two of them having to travel to hell. Not a glimmer of a smile, or even a relaxed muscle, passed across the priest's face. "I wish you all the best, Etzi. We have done all we can. Let the gods and the axe you bear guide you. Listen to your instincts, for that is how nature talks to you, and pay attention to the birds. I'm sure I don't need to instruct you further about that." Etzi shook his head. "And do not trust anything not human. There are all sorts of creatures roaming these lands, and I would hate for one of them to be the end of you."

"I won't let you down," replied Etzi. "I'll see you again in 9 years. Hopefully less," he added. Zutxi came across to him then, and put his hand on Etzi's shoulder.

"Time, my friend. Let us go into the unknown."

[some_weirdGuy]

They strode away from the square, away from the bustling crowds and mighty stones. As they walked through the town a hush fell on all, as they watched Etzi move past.

He looked up at the sky as he walked, noting the star alignments; the enchanter Farnik, a long ago friend and even mentor at times, had told the then young Etzi of the importance stars played in nearly every aspect of magic ritual.
"It is important to cast some of the more powerful spells at just the right time. If you are out by even a little bit grave consequences are assured..."

Etzi had then asked Farnik if he had ever cast a spell at the wrong time. The enchanter had stared into his eyes, and without blinking or even moving he had retold a tale of when he himself was young and had foolishly attempted to create a circle of teleportation. He had cast the spell just to soon, and instead of appearing where he had set, he became lost in the void.

"It's a world of desolation, vile creatures and darkness," he had said. "I only escaped through sheer luck. My teacher had come to see me and witnessed my disappearance. He knew instantly I was transported to the void, so he worked quickly and managed to open a gateway back to our world before the stars fell out of alignment. If he had failed I do not doubt that I would have wandered the void for an eternity. The things I saw there haunt me to this day. Let us speak of it no more."

The young Etzi had been awed by this story. He missed old Farnik now, the man, once he let down his emotional walls, was really quite a lovely and caring person. Most tended to Avoid magickers unless they had no choice, but the young Etzi and Farnik had really hit it off, and it was a friendship Etzi treasured to this day...

"You're day dreaming again, Etzi," said Zutxi.

"I was just thinking how good life use to be, before I became the chosen one with the fate of the world on my shoulders," he replied with a grin.

"Yes, those were the days," replied Zutxi, the grin spreading to his face too...

((Reason for edit: grammar and spelling. Try to maintain a reasonably high standard, please. Also, I thought we were saying no obvious magic like circles of teleportation or whatever?))

((what? i thought it was just that our hero and most other people didn't have magic, but shamans and voodoo and necromancers existed, and other magicers, they just weren't very common, being hermits or very secretive or something...))

Edited by some_wierdGuy, 04 November 2008 - 08:02 AM.

[Vortigern]

Xalazar clasped his hands together, pressing his forearms into each other. On the back of his wrists, hidden beneath the engraved leather armlets, lay almost matching tattoos, two halves of the same single whole. Seconds passed, in which Xalazar wondered if the symbol painted on his flesh were in some way inaccurate, but then he heard, distantly, ever so distantly, a rumble; it grew rapidly louder, closer, deeper, stronger. Xalazar took a deep breath, for this would be the greatest test of his magic so far in his life. Not though, he reckoned, the greatest test he was to face today.

A shadowy form burst from the tunnel ahead of him, smashing out through the edges of the threshold, releasing aeons-old dust into the atmosphere. As it came into the light Xalazar could see the monster for what it was: a colossal jackal, looking almost more like a bear in its enormity. Xalazar wondered briefly what had caused the rumbling, before the question was answered for him. The beast opened its mouth and let out a roar, a bass note that echoed from the trees, from the ground and from the sky. As the sound continued to reverberate around the universe, the jackal charged. Xalazar twisted two fingers together, and muttered something under his breath. A tree root shot up from in front of him, quickly growing into a full tree. The jackal raised a paw to smash it from its path, but the tree grew faster and stronger, latching on around the paw and spreading out too to pull the jackal's legs from under it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Xalazar noticed the threshold of the ancient temple buckling where the jackal had broken the sides. He hurriedly sent out a tendril of the living tree, propping up the entrance. For now.

The jackal let out a howl; the wood was burning its flesh, just as Xalazar had known it would. He pushed the tree on, willing it to grow, to expand, as and where he dictated. The largest branch of the tree, what would have been the trunk in a conventional tree, thrust up under the chin of the jackal then around, slowly engulfing the monstrous animal's skull. It howled once more, and Xalazar left it, passing under the archway afforded by the groaning tree-limb that held up the only entrance and exit of the unholy site.

Xalazar paused in the centre of the first chamber, and concentrated once more on the tree, reinforcing it, bringing it inside the temple and into the ground to counterweight the structure. The tree sent a probing branch into the murky, mossy gloom of the temple, then on down into the ground. It was the very second the tree hit the ground within the temple that the blackening began, spreading up the grounded branch and up into the major trunk of the living tree. Xalazar panicked then, and released his mind from the tree. The rot continued, and outside the jackal began to come loose. The sorcerer's eyes widened. He felt around with his mind, searching for something else to keep the beast away from him. He knew it would be worthless trying to kill it; millennia of dwelling in a place like this would acclimatise any being to magic to an extreme.

Xalazar's wandering mind found the stone of the threshold, and pushed down hard, cracking the stone, sending it tumbling to the ground. The dust settled slowly but when it did, Xalazar found himself sealed within the overgrown, untended tomb of a sleeping demonic demi-god.

"Perfect," he murmured, smiling to himself.

[Rafv Nin IV]

Etzi and Zutxi moved with purpose towards Etzi's dwelling, as it was the closer of the two. Once there, they prepared for a journey, packing food and money. Zutxi grabbed a spear, but Etzi did not need one--the axe would be sufficient. Etzi looked took a last look around his home. His mate and their daughter had not yet returned from the pyramid where the ceremony had taken place; Etzi thanked their foresight in avoiding tearful goodbyes. He glanced at his trade tools and the unfinished products laying on top of the grass mat he did much of his work on. Seeing a nearly complete bracelet of silver and pink topaz, he stashed it in his pack along with a small jar of polish and a few small tools. It'd give him something to do for the next few nights.

It was only after the two companions had finalized their preparations that they realized the bitter truth--they had no conception of what to do or where to go. In confusion, they walked back to the pyramid climbed the steps to the temple at the top. Etzi and Zutxi intended to consult the high priest.

As they approached the priests' residence, Zutxi hesitated, unsure whether to intrude upon the holy grounds. Etzi continued forward, however, compelled by a force he could not comprehend. Etzi, like Zutxi, wished to slow his steps and offer prayer, but his legs refused to stop and he ascended to the highest level of the step pyramid.

Pillars of stone held up the roof of the structure. It had no walls. Eight central columns formed a regular octagon in the center of the building, and partitions of a living shrub connected them. A pathway gleamed golden from Etzi's feet to the rust-stained iron doors of the room. Lining this trail stood the priests of the pyramid, garbed in the pelts of their particular god's chosen animal. The dual streams of priests ended abruptly several feet before the iron doors, as did the color they cast upon the previously grey stone. Etzi strode down the path alone, and halted at the end of the gold. He gazed inquiringly at the high priest, who stared back stonily and did not provide any clues. The looming doors shined red, and Etzi realized that the rust on the iron was augmented by the blood of a sloth. The animal had been wounded and lay dying in front of the structure. Etzi lifted the axe above his head and beheaded the creature to put it out of its misery. Mist congealed from the air as the temperature dropped considerably. The priests vanished, leaving Etzi feeling isolated and anxious. Slowly, as if they protested the arrangement with all their might, the iron doors creaked open.

[Vortigern]

"I regret that there is little I can do to aid you, Etzi," began the high priest. "I know that is why you came here, and I shall repeat my earlier offering. Head east, and your journey itself will show you where to go."

"That's not good enough, I'm afraid," replied Etzi. "I have barely left the village before. I can follow the stars, and I can track wild beasts, but I know nothing of how this quest should proceed. For all I know I am being sent on a wild goose chase."

"I pray for all our sakes that you are not. What I read in the entrails of the jaguar was truth. If nine years pass without your successful return, we will all die. Including your friend Zutxi, whether he stays with you or not, and any friends and companions you gather along the way. Quetxca is a powerful time, Etzi."

"Fine. We will head east. But give me more help. Teach me to read the entrails of animals, and to track destinies by the flight of birds as you do. There is no telling how useful it may be, and I'm sure you will want me to have every advantage conceivable." The high priest considered for a moment.

"Very well. I will travel with you for the first part of the journey. I will teach you as much as I feel I can in that time, and Zutxi as well. But I will have to turn back after a week, at most." The high priest turned away. "Leave me now to prepare. We will depart at dawn." Etzi left the chamber.

[some_weirdGuy]

Xalazar negated some traps with ease, crude inventions such as trip wires and the like, and even the weaker enchantments. sure, had he not been so skillful and prepared then he may have found it difficult, but so far as he went through the labyrinth of tomb like rooms the only real challenge had been Jackal...
"do not let your guard down..." he whispered to himself, moving forward into a new room.
he paused, let out a little 'oh' as he saw, cruched in the middle.... Himself.
the doppelganger rose, and turned, stance changing to that of a combat position.

Without a word, it attacked...

Edited by some_wierdGuy, 14 November 2008 - 06:14 AM.

[Vortigern]

Xalazar released a burst of magical fire, directly into his twin's face. The apparition screamed in agony, and looked as though it was beginning to melt. Xalazar stood uncertainly, watching.

"That seemed a little too easy," he murmured, and a moment later he was proven correct. It was quite a spectacle to witness his own face emerging like a phoenix from its own ashes, reassembling into a body he recognised all too well. It came at him once more, and Xalazar drew his knife. If magic would only let it come back the stronger, he would have to kill it the old-fashioned way. The monstrous form leapt at him, and Xalazar rushed in to meet it, slamming the blade deep into its chest, and out through the other side, leaving not a mark. "Odd..." The doppelganger moved again, faster this time, and Xalazar was barely in time to raise a magical guard about his person, leaving his enemy to bounce off. A plan suddenly formed in Xalazar's agile mind; he extended the reach of the shield, around the doppelganger, encircling it, trapping it. Tiny blue sparks ricocheted off the air as his evil twin threw itself against the walls of its invisible cell. Xalazar could not help but laugh at the sight. He tied off the threads of magic, sealing the prison.

"Onwards and downwards," he said to himself, and left the chamber, wondering what challenges awaited him now.

[Fire Ze Missiles!]

((OOC; Sorry this is so long, I got a bit carried away ))

How much time passed as Xalazar negotiated the chambers he could not say, but after what seemed an age he arrived at the much-fabled gateway to Yum Cimil himself. The ancient's breathing caused the very floor to rumble ominously, as if in testament to the power constrained within. As Xalazar took a pace forward, the rumbling became more agitated, as if the mighty daemon knew that finally its aeons of torment were over and its day to be free had once again dawned.
Although dawn was hardly a concept familiar to this deepest of chambers. Were it not for his magically enhanced senses, Xalazar would not have been able to see through the inky darkness of a place which had not seen the sun in a thousand years and no usual flame would have cast its warm glow in the room. The darkness seemed truly impenetrable - only by becoming one with it could one pass through it. Smirking in the shadow, Xalazar appreciated the poetic irony of the statement - he was indeed one with the darkness, and soon enough the whole world would know this for a fact.
Taking a step forwards, the mage stretched out a bony hand to touch the great stone doors...
Burning white light flooded the chamber as an inhuman roar echoed through the hallowed halls. Spinning on his heel to face this new terror, Xalazar was almost blinded by the sudden change from utter darkness to total light. He caught sight of a shining figure clad in golden armour and wielding a mighty axe and round shield, also gold.
Letting loose another ear-splitting scream the monstrosity charged, bowling Xalazar from his feet. Tucking into a neat roll, he came up ready, just in time to dive out of the way of the descending axe. Something desperate was required here - the man's incredible mind searched frantically for a means of victory over the blinding creature that stalked him. Xalazar unleashed wave upon wave of hell-spawned creatures, foul beings one and all that emanated hatred and blood-lust just as their opponent gave off light. But the terrible being carved through them as if they were nothing, batting aside both fury and hell hound without apparent effort. And still it strode ever onwards toward him.
Xalazar's magic was nearly spent. Trying desperately for a victory, he cast about himself for inspiration. By now somewhat accustomed to the glaring light, he could make out his holy adversary's wicked grin as it prepared to cast him down. And then, the wizard found his answer.
Focussing all his energy into one strike he sent a potent magical missile straight up to the ceiling, praying it would be enough. The being grinned even wider, as if to say 'You missed, fool.' - but it was a short-lived victory. An ominous crack first alerted the creature to its impending doom as a chasm rent the roof of the chamber. Its face disfiguring to a snarl of anger, the golden being lunged forwards inhumanly fast; but not fast enough. A great slab of two-foot solid granite crushed him where he stood.

Xalazar panted heavily, his magical exertions proving physically tiring. But he was buoyed by the knowledge of success. This was the last chamber, there was no doubt about it - he recognised those doors from the description in the ancient tombs at Quemotza. Eventually, he regained his vision in what was once more total darkness and the strength to move. Doing just that, he advanced on the doors with the greatest trepidation. If he was not careful now his entire life's work could be ruined...
Reaching out a hand, he touched the cold stone of the chamber doors. A booming voice intoned inside his head with the sonority of a thousand death-knells:
'What do you seek here?' it demanded.
"I would bind Yum Cimil to my will," the magi replied confidently. A deep, echoing chuckle resounded.
'Would you indeed...?'
As the doors creaked slowly open and a wide grin spread across Xalazar's exultant features, a blood red light crept across the chamber floor.

* * *

A cataclysmic explosion rent the still morning air as the new sun breached the horizon, the reverberations shaking the countryside for miles around. Huge chunks of masonry flew thousands of feet into the air as the historic temple was de-atomised from the inside out.
In the dead centre of an enormous, perfectly circular crater stood Xalazar, his face ecstatic as a red light pulsed behind his eyes.
"Free..." he muttered, a curious power crackling in his voice, "free at last!"

[some_weirdGuy]

((sorry if you had other plans for their departure, i can change this if you want, but for now...))

Etzi, Zutxi and the high priest walked along the road, in relative silence. the brisk morning air was clensing, Etzi took a deap breath to clear his head. Suddenly the high priest stumbled, letting out a cry. instantly Etzi and Zutxi were at his side, but he pushed them back, stairing of at nothing, with his head down, as if beholding an awesome sight. suddenly the golden axe Etzi wore began to hum, shaking slighly as if a great engy was held within it which it could barely contain. Soon a blue glow began to radiate...
Still looking down the high priest shook his head,
"No..." he whispered, his voice trembling
"no, no, no no no, No! the fool! he has doomed us all!"
"what who, what do you see?"
"doom! dont you see we are all dead! we cannot beat him! the fool..."
"what fool?! tell me what you saw!"
"he has been released, he is free, we are all doomed..."
"who, who is free? why are we all doomed!?" his frustration was clearly evident at the priests lack of explanation
"no, no no no" the high priest replied slumping to the ground and shaking his head...
"i fear even you cannot save us now... i... i cannot come with you, i must stay here with the people, i cannot..."
"but i need your guidance! tell me what you saw!!" he said, grabbing the high priest by the front of his tunic and lifting his up from the ground
"Yum Cimil..." answered the priest, who was breathing shallowly, fear clearly visible in his eyes "is free..."

[Vortigern]

((Well, I wasn't intending on the characters finding out about Yum Cimil for quite some time, to be honest. But whatever, this could work too.))

"Yum Cimil?" repeated Etzi, confused. "What is Yum Cimil?"

"The foe you will face on this journey, I fear," replied the high priest, sitting down heavily on the nearest surface he could find. "He is a demon lord, the last of the ancient gods, entombed far beneath consecrated ground. It is thought that Yum Cimil brought about the destruction of the last world of man."

"Then why have we never heard of him before?" asked Zutxi, clearly just as intrigued as his friend.

"Because his continued existence is the most closely guarded secret of our age. He should have been destroyed aeons ago. I must go, Etzi," he added. "The priesthood must be made aware of him."

"Won't they have felt it too?" Etzi wondered aloud. "You felt it physically, they should at least have heard something." The priest sighed wearily, voice tinged with despair.

"There is so much you ought to know, yet so little time," he began. "I am the last scion of an ancient line. It was my forefather that gave his life to seal Yum Cimil away the first time, and my family have watched over these lands ever since. I am tied to him by my blood, and only I will know when he is free. I must go to the priesthood," he repeated. Etzi thought for a moment, lips pursed, brow furrowed.

"We'll come with you." The priest looked up, surprised.

"You must not. You have your own quest."

"This is my quest. Yum Cimil is free, and if I am to fight him, I will need to know all I can about him. The priesthood are the only ones who can teach me. We're coming with you."

[some_weirdGuy]

((Well, I wasn't intending on the characters finding out about Yum Cimil for quite some time, to be honest. But whatever, this could work too.))

they dont have to, like i said i can edit.

Aside from that if you want to keep it a mystery you could just have the priest not tell them anymore (maybe because he is so 'disturbed' that he cant think straight )

Also, im guessing you want the priest to stay with them, seen as you dont seem to want them to part ways (which is what i thought they would do)

Again, i will say, if you want i can edit my post and keep yummy boy a secret.


FZEDIT: Dudes, lets just roll with it and do whatever. It's cool
VORTIGERN: Yep, roll away. The point is that this story is written between us. It can take whatever twists you like and the rest of us will have to work that in, unless we all decide the change you made is rubbish, in which case we'll stop you. And I was thinking the priest can stay for a while longer. There is much Etzi is yet to learn.

[Vortigern]

"So tell me about your family," said Etzi, wonderingly, as the small band of heroes trudged on through the mud and through the grass. The high priest looked around, surprised. "I'm interested to know what the history of your line is."

"Well, a lot of what I know is probably distorted by now," began the high priest, "but I'm reasonably sure that, back in the old days, before Yum Cimil broke free first time, there was a ruling class of priests like me, and my many-times-great-grandfather was the head of their order, and the most powerful magician around." Etzi made an appreciative noise; he felt it was required of him. "And that was no mean feat, you know. Magicians were a lot more powerful in those days than their modern counterparts. I don't know why for sure, but my theory is that the world has a finite amount of magic, and the longer we've been drawing on it..." Etzi zoned out for a moment, his thoughts straying to the golden weapon slung across his back. The blade felt warm through his clothes. Etzi flashed a glance to Zutxi, trailing at the back of the group, apparently listening to what the old priest had to say.

"Stop a moment," ordered Etzi, and the priest faltered, mid-flow. "I just realised we don't know your name."

"The high priest is separate from his people. There are only a few in the world know me by my real name."

"Why can't we be among them? We're on a quest for the sake of the world, and it seems probable that we'll never make it back home again to tell anyone. Come on, I can't keep calling you 'him' for the rest of the trip." The priest smiled, able to appreciate the comedy of the situation.

"Very well. My name is Oaxanu. 'Him' might be easier to say."

[Hasfusel]

The man dressed in black watched them from amongst the trees, and chuckled quietly to himself. The fools didn't understand. They were all as good as dead. At least, they would be as soon as Yum Cimil was safely under control. And that would require the death of Xalazar. Ah, well. He could be easily dealt with. But these savages seemed to believe that they had a chance.
The man in black walked away, shaking his head and laughing gently.

Edited by Hasfusel, 07 December 2008 - 03:42 PM.

[Fire Ze Missiles!]

Xalazar stalked the jungle for prey, his consciousness searching far and wide among the dense foliage. All manner of creatures trembled and fled at his approach, some innate, primal fear awaking deep within them as the great presence of Yum Cimil was impressed upon them.
The daemon's power filled Xalazar, buoying him up on an endless wave of energy. A physical ecstasy permeated the very fibre of his being and the knowledge of success and untold, unprecedented power brought elation to his mind. Nevertheless, Xalazar was not a happy man.
The words he had spoken as he stood in the ruins of the temple had not been his own. His tongue had been forced by some other power, controlling his very body. Obviously it was Yum Cimil, straining for release into the physical plain. The very impertinence of the creature was astounding and something Xalazar had not accounted for. Most daemons are aware of the seals which bind them inside their host bodies and even in those rare cases when that body was that of the magicker himself they would be unlikely to risk destroying themselves by attempting to break said seals. But Yum Cimil, so overconfident in his own omnipotence, had tested the seals immediately and seemingly without harm to his own self. This troubled Xalazar greatly. He was not a stupid man and knew well enough that if the daemon could do it once it could do so again, effectively meaning that Xalazar was at the mercy of this creature. yet for some reason it held back from destroying him utterly, allowing Xalazar more time to weave further enchantments upon the beast, time which was not wasted by him.

Deep within a hidden sanctum of Xalazar's mind, Yum Cimil observed these and myriad other thoughts with great interest. He was harvesting the knowledge needed to be human, the very essence of Xalazar, and the foolish human did not even know it. Funny that one so powerful should be brought so low by the one that he would control.