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**Roneatek** · 04-12-2006, 02:59 AM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

I found some more, though I am not sure where they go in the story. I'll post them here anyhow.

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01

BZ lay in a dark and brooding world. Things were unnatural and unfamiliar. In all directions he saw nothing but a black void, yet he could hear the murmur of a thousand voices, some crying, some laughing, and some talking about him. BZ ran of into infinity, clutching his head.

�Away with thee!� he cried as he tried desperately to drown out the murmur of voices. Suddenly he felt a jerk, and a deep pain appeared in his stomach. He clutched it and fell to his knees. It was throbbing and hurt severely. The darkness about him began to grow steadily into a pale light. He opened his eyes.

He was laying in a soft bed with sheets pulled up over him. He reached down and felt his abdomen. It was bandages skillfully, but it still hurt. He tried to sit up, but he gasped and lay back down.

�Nay friend� said a voice. Cerebral had been sitting in a chair nearby but he stood and walked over to the bed. �Do not try and move. The wound was deep, but I patched it up just in time. The healers came and did the rest. You will be just fine.� BZ turned and looked out the nearby window. A starling perched on the sill and gave out a simple trill. Another bird nearby answered it. He sighed.

�That�s what I get, I guess. I knew Starba was not like that. What was I thinking?� Cerebral laughed and sat back down.

�You were thinking what most men would have thought in similar circumstances.� He said taking out his pipe. He filled it with a fine tobacco and when lit, the fragrance filled the room. �Don�t beat yourself up over it. You know better now.�

�What did you do with that�thing?� BZ asked, suddenly full of enthusiasm. He sat up in bed with a groan and looked about the room. No trace of the body could be found.

�I had the inn take care of it� Cerebral said quietly. �Evidentially, these doppelgangers have been attacking them as well. They apparently kidnap a member from the town; women particularly. Weeks go by and then the person suddenly re-appears. It is a doppelganger, the townspeople have realized, only it looks like their lost friend. Rumor has it that there is an large tower somewhere in the south, and all the kidnapped people are housed there in chains as their doppelganger counterparts roam this world� BZ�s eyes got wide.

�Do you think that they could be keeping Starba locked away?� He asked angrily. Cerebral nodded.

�That�s what I have been thinking. It seems likely, at least.� BZ�s face became livid and he leapt to his feet.

�Fiends! They shall pay for this deed! No one kidnaps my friends whilst I am unawares! Why, I will�� BZ dropped to his knees and spit up some blood. Cerebral rushed to his aid.

�You old fool!� he said, easing BZ into bed. But then he laughed.

�Don�t worry friend, we will have a chance to get vengeance. But our primary goal will be to rescue her, and this is what we must set our mind on. But for now what you need most is rest. We will leave soon enough.� Thus they labored for days contriving plans and schemes. They talked with the locals and anyone who had seen the tower up close or had talked much with a doppelganger. Two weeks later, BZ was battle worthy, and taking minor provisions from the courteous and generous innkeeper, they went along their way. They struck southwards along the beaten path towards the looming tower still far ahead. It was not an unpleasant journey. Spring was slowly arriving, and the insects and birds were hard at work. Wild periwinkles and daffodils dotted the fields that they passed as their buds slowly came to bloom. Bees were busy molesting flowers that were ready and carrying their precious cargo back to their homes. Birds were darting too and fro, chirping gaily or quarreling with each other. At night the air was fresh and sweet, and the half moon loomed over the road like a mother does over her child. Stars sparkled and littered the night. It looked as if one were gazing at a long forgotten sea, dark though it is, but glimmers of light peaking the small and calm waves.

On their third day venturing from the inn, the tower was looming up large before them, and they could make out windows and small details.

�What will we do when we get there?� asked BZ, stopping for a moment to stretch. �Surely we wont simply knock on the door?�

�I haven�t the faintest idea,� said Cerebral giving a thought to their dilemma, �But what good is it to worry about that now? We do not know what the land about this tower will be like. We should probably survey the land when we get there and make a decision then, rather than come up with something now.� BZ nodded. But then he lifted his head as if listening to something. Soon Cerebral began to hear it too. Far behind them they could hear the trotting of a horse, coming slowly down the trail. As they stood their listening, the noise became indisputable, and they dashed off into the bushes on either side, waiting for the rider to approach. After several minutes, a rider on a sturdy gray horse came around the bend. The horse was not the best horse, but it seemed sturdy and fair, and it looked like it wanted to run all night, if it could. The rider seemed less enthusiastic. He sat upon his horse with a bowed head, seemingly asleep. He was wearing a long, dark green cloak and a hood was cast over his head. As soon as the horse came within distance, BZ and Cerebral leapt from the bushes, brandishing swords. Instantly, as if awakened from a dream, the rider reigned in his hordes and a glimmer of steel shot out from under his cloak and seemed to burn at his side.

�Who are you want what are you doing on this road� challenged Cerebral in a stern voice. But the rider remained silent and motionless. �Fine then, if you will not speak, my sword will do the speaking for the both of us!�

�Hold!� shouted BZ. �Stay thy hand!� He walked slowly nearer to the rider and gazed at the hooded face. His eyes went wide in delight.

�Rone! Rone, is that you?� the riders face softened and he looked down at BZ.

�Rone�yes, �yes, that seems right. Ah, and you are BZ� he said. �It has been a long time since we have trod in the same lands.�

�Yes, a very long time� said Bahamat with a smile. He lowered his sword.

�Do not trust him so easily!� said Cerebral sternly. �He could be a doppelganger.� At that word a fire seemed to burn in Rone's eyes.

�Doppelganger� what do you know of them!� he challenged, pointing his sword at Cerebral. BZ backed away and again raised his sword. �Answer me! I have not ridden this far in order to be ignored by the likes of you.�

�Hah! And who are you that I must answer to you!� said Cerebral with a snarl. �I am my own master and I answer to no one. Indeed, you seem human enough and come upon a human�s steed, but the word doppelganger certainly hits a cord within you. What is to stop me from slaying you where you sit?�

�Come then! I do not fear haughty words!� and at that, things might have proved fatal, had not BZ stepped in.

�Steady! Peace! We need not fight in this street!� he said leaping between them. They both stopped. BZ turned to Rone.

�Your actions do sound very unlike the Rone I know, rider, and I am not yet fully convinced that you are he who you claim to be.�

�You are the one that named me,� Rone said. �I go by many names.� BZ sighed.

�Nevertheless, we cannot trust you right now, and if you are the real Rone, you will have to forgive me. But we will have to ask you to leave this road.� Rone remained still for a moment, and then a smile came to his face.

�Go on then, continue on your journey. I will not pursue you� but under his breath Rone uttered the word �today�. This, however seemed to ease BZ, and he bid Cerebral to sheath his sword. They did so and continued along the trail. After a while they looked back. Rone was nowhere to be seen.

�I�ll bet you anything that that was a doppelganger!� said Cerebral with a hiss. �Why did we let him go? Better to be overly cautious than to let something slip so that it can sting you later on.�

�But what if it was the real Rone?� said BZ. �If we would have killed him, we would have never forgiven ourselves.� Cerebral nodded.

�Yes, you are right. The best we can do is continue on.� They traveled far the next few days and soon they were in the shadow of the tower.

�Well, I think it is time we thought of a way to enter,� said BZ. But just then they heard a rustle in the woods beside them. The pair backed up and drew their swords. At the sound of sword being unsheathed, the rustle ceased. All that could be heard were birds chirping. Tension mounted and both men remained still, but nothing was happening. BZ began to sheath his sword.

Suddenly a burst of leaves and twigs shot out onto the road and three large figures leapt out of the bushes. They attacked Cerebral and BZ with a viciousness that stunned them, and they stepped backwards. But soon they regained themselves and fought their foes with a hidden intensity that surprised but did not daunt their attackers. Wielding their weapons expertly, they fought back the doppelgangers and kept them busy. Bahamut swung his sword in a fashion that resembled a dance, and with one heavy sweep he lobbed off the head of the smallest one. Orange blood shot out of the stub that remained, and the lifeless body slumped to the ground. This enraged the remaining attackers and they charged again with an angry vengeance. Cerebral fought with all his might, but the onslaught was too much. He stepped back and planted the point of his sword in the ground. A wave of power sprang from his mind and shattered his charging opponent like glass. But the last doppelganger would not fall for the same trick. He kicked BZ to the ground and lunged after Cerebral. The doppelganger sidestepped and leapt over the waves of energy that Cerebral unleashed and came upon the man like a jackal to carrion. With a mighty sweep of its arm, the beast cast Cerebral off the road. In victory the doppelganger laughed and was about to pounce on Cerebral to devour him when a thunder filled the heavens. Suddenly a mounted rider appeared from nowhere. Yet he was no longer wearing green. His cloak was a dazzling white, and as he flung it back to unsheathe his sword the doppelganger was blinded by the searing flame of white. Rone held his sword aloft and cried, �forb�rnan!� as his horse neighed and rose to its hind legs. At his command, a dazzling white flame leapt from his sword and consumed the doppelganger as if it were chaff. All that was left was a trickle of smoke that vanished into the air.

BZ and Cerebral had risen to their feet and stared in awe as Rone�s sword dimmed and his cloak turned green. He now appeared just as he had before, a tired, bent man who looked as if he were distracted. Rone slowly came up before them and brought his hood down, revealing his lined and weary face.

�Now do you believe me?� he asked with a wry smile. BZ laughed.

�It looks as if I don�t have a choice,� he said, sheathing his sword. �And where did you learn a nifty trick like that, anyways?� Rone smiled.

�Perhaps I�ll tell you someday. But what are we waiting for? Are we going to pass into the tower and find our friends or not?� Cerebral nodded.

�Yes, that is the next step. And unless you know more about this tower than I do, we don�t have an entrance plan yet.� Rone shook his head.

�I know nothing about this place. I will go with whatever scheme we contrive.� And with that, the three men left the road and made plans, far into the night.

What will they do to assail the tower? How will they rescue Starba? What other people are trapped in the tower? And what was that fierce flame that Rone wielded? Find out soon�

* * *

02

Cerebral and Starba faced the Lizards as they came upon them. One, seemingly their leader, brought his men to a halt. He stepped forward and spoke with a sickening hiss.

�Where issss your companion,� he demanded angrily. Cerebral shrugged.

�He left. He no longer travels with us. It looks like you just missed him.� The lizard hissed angrily and waved his arms.

�Well then, it looksssss like we mussssst make amendssssss. You killed three of my men and now we shall make you pay!� With that the lizards charged. Cerebral and Starba did not hesitate. They fled. First they took to the road and ran along it, making great speed. The distance between them and the pursuing lizards steadily grew, until an hour later the beasts were no more than a speck along the road. Cerebral halted.

�We must�somehow�. get off the�road� he huffed, leaning over and panting. Starba was winded as well and she could hardly talk. Her knees shook, but she straightened herself out.

�I know of a place�not far from here,�� she said gasping. �LF and I traveled there long ago. It is an abandoned hold, long forgotten, and has forsake. The walls are crumbling, but it should hide us for a while.� She looked along the road. The lizards had vanished. Cerebral noticed as well.

�I don�t know whether that is a good thing or a bad thing.� He said uncertainly. �Before, at least we knew where they were.�

�Well, there is no helping that now,� said Starba stretching. �We must be off at once if we hope to reach the hold by nightfall.� And with that, the companions turned aside, off the road. Starba led Cerebral through a large thicket of brambles and thorns. It tore their clothes and scratched them, but still they pressed on. After many hours they were through, and now walked in a large grassy plain.

�This is the field of Lantasel,� said Starba as they jogged. �Long ago this was the common lands and farmland of the Lantes, the people of the mists. They were conquered many years ago and now all that remains of their civilization is the Hold. We should be there before nightfall.� Neither spoke the remainder of the run. The field seemed endless, and no life could be seen, saves for a rabbit here and there or the chattering of a squirrel. Soon the sun sank, and twilight surmounted. On they jogged as the first stars showed. At last in the distance, large pillars of stone could be seen. As the pair came closer, a long wall loomed up before them, broken in some places but still seemingly very strong. At last they were at the gate, but surprisingly, it had been closed.

�This is strange,� mused Starba. �This gate has never been closed since the fall of the Lantes. And very few people know of it. Who could be inside?�

�Perhaps we should just knock,� laughed cerebral. But to his horror, that is exactly what Starba did. She knocked heavily on the large wooden gate and the sound thudded into a large hollow.

�What are you doing!� cerebral exclaimed. �I was joking! What if these are not friends?� but the gate opened and a smile came to Cerebrals face.

�Well, look here�! Said LF with a start.� We thought you had died in the blaze!� Blitz came to the gate and jumped.

�It looks like we are not the only survivors!� he cried happily, �unless my eyes deceive me and ye be ghosts.�

�No, not ghosts� said Starba happily, �but we thought you died as well.� Then her face clouded. �Where is Rone and Serge?� LF motioned them inside.

�Come, come, I will tell you all about it when we get in.� he said, and Starba and cerebral stepped in the hold and the gate closed behind them. The inside was barren and not pretty, but it suited their immediate needs. A fire was blazing in the middle of the tiles. The few openings into the hold itself were blocked off by stone. All that was about them was a long, thick wall, with stairs that let to the parapets. The gate was opened by a chain on the inside, and using a pulley system, opened easily with a small tug. The four friends sat around the fire, and Cerebral told them all that had happened since they left the inn. Starba filled in what he left out.

�And that�s how we got here, and bless me, I�m glad to hear that at least you two made it out alive. But what of Rone and Serge? Tell us your tale now.� LF leaned back.

�Well, there is not much to say really. I woke up to the smell of smoke. When I opened my door the fires had already spread throughout the inn and I had no escape. I thought I would die there, for I had no window to escape out of. Butt then the flames before me suddenly went out with a hiss and Rone quickly stepped to.

�Come swiftly!� he said, and without questioning I took his hand and he pulled me outside. The flames roared up behind is and seemed to rise whenever our feet left the ground. But soon I was outside and I felt the cool air on my face. Blitz and Serge were there as well, and that made me glad. But we could not see you two.

�Where are Starba and Cerebral?� I asked, but Serge just shook his head. Rone said nothing. It was Blitz that took us out of our musings.

�We can�t stay here,� he said at last. �We must find shelter. Whatever it was that burned this inn was obviously looking for us, and they will be back.� And with that, I told them of this hold, and Blitz and I made for it as soon as it became light. We had just arrived when you began pounding on the gate, lass.�

�But where did Rone and Serge go?� asked Starba puzzled. Blitz grinned.

�I think he is bloodthirsty, for he went off to raise an army. He went to the stables and took his horse Lightgrazer, and Serge also took a horse. �Whoever belonged to this fellah wont be needing him no more,� he said as he leapt upon the saddle. Rone did not say much, but he said something about getting the Macerean Knights, and then the two were gone. They knew we were coming here though, so they may be back.�

�Let us hope so,� said Cerebral, �for I fear we will be receiving company of one kind or another when day breaks.�

The night was long and cold, and no one slept, save Blitz. It appeared that he could sleep through anything. Cerebral was on the parapet when sunlight hit the hills and he saw the stout shapes approaching from far away.

�Here they come!� he shouted, leaping down. �Lizards and Doppelgangers, marching this way. It seems that they caught out trail and intend to besiege the hold.�

�Alas!� said LF �we have no arrows, nor bows! I fear that this will be a short siege.�

�We may not have arrows, but we do have stones� said Starba looking at the blocked doorways of the hold, �and they can crush a doppelganger fairly well, I�d imagine.� All that morning the four were kept busy. They removed the huge boulders from the ancient doorways and hauled them up to the parapet. Sticks they put underneath them to act as levers and then they waited. The small army came nearer and they could count the numbers. Over 300 strong, all armed with spears and scimitars. A marching song they sang, and it was hideous to hear and put fear into the hearts of the companions.

�I fear we shall perish today� said Blitz sadly. �I do not have any hope within me�

�But hope is not needed to kill, and that is precisely what we will do� said cerebral looking out towards the approaching horde. �We can take as many as we can and die trying.� They did not have to wait long. Within an hour the hosts of the doppelganger and the lizards had surrounded the hold. The four companions were besieged.

�Well, here goes noting� said Cerebral, and he leapt upon the parapet and showed himself to the mob. They screeched and jeered and called out curses.

�Fiends!� Cerebral called in a loud and stern voice. �I give you one last chance to turn around and leave this place. Or every one of you will be dead tomorrow.� At this they laughed and called out as in one voice:

�Parley! Beg for parley! We shall not leave, we are the doppelgangers!� and with that they threw their spears at him and Cerebral dashed out of the way and left the parapet. The hosts rushed the hold and began to pound away at the walls. Many in the front were trampled by their comrades and the remaining used the bodies as stairs.

�It has begun� said Starba, ant the four went to the stones. The lizards and doppelgangers were trying to climb the walls and some had indeed almost made it over. LF pressed on the lever and his stone was hurled over the wall, crushing dozens of monsters and even more as it rolled away. Starba, Blitz and Cerebral did the same, and as the stones rolled into the doppelganger ranks, they killed all that did not flee. 100 beasts thus died, but this did not stop the attackers. They came again with renewed vigor and began piling the bodies of their comrades up and made a ramp of carcasses. The enemy rushed up and came over the wall like ants.

�This is it!� cried Cerebral unsheathing his sword. It glimmered and slew two lizards as they charged him. �This is where we die! Let us die well!� and the four companions lashed out with steel and took their enemies boldly. But suddenly there was a loud call. A horn was blaring and it sent woe and dismay through the doppelgangers. Starba raced to the parapet and looked out. On the nearby hill stood a host of mounted knights, mail clad and gleaming in the early sun. In their lead stood Serge and Rone, mounted on their steeds. Rone�s clothing was blazing like fire, and Serge stood beside him with his mighty axe raised. His gold armor shone like lighting and he called out in a mighty voice:

�Attack, Knights of Macerios! Here is your foe, let us stain the grass orange with blood!� and the Knights charged. Doppelgangers and Lizards alike fled before the mounted Knights, and the riders ran them over like grass. But the some of the hardier lizards grouped together and made a charge right into the knights. Three fell from their horses, but Serge rode to the front, his heavy axe swinging to and fro like a scythe in a field of grain. Heads and limbs flew before him, and this heartened the Knights and they charged, slaying all that were in their way. Rone rode round and flanked the beasts so that none could escape. His bright sword blazed as it danced through the air, and he called out �Nissi! flod eower hatheart� with a strong voice. Brilliant blue flame shot from the blade, and many lizards fell before him, and even more fled in terror.

Soon, all their enemies had been accounted for and the bodies were heaped in the field and burned, and the stench carried even to lands miles away, and that land was forever stained and no living thing grew hence. The Knights that fell in honor on the field were placed in the hold, and a large stone was rolled across the opening and Rone raised his sword to it, and fire engraved on the stone the names of those who had fallen. The companions were reunited, and their numbers were now six. Serge and Rone gave them fresh weapons, and each got a horse, for the fallen Macerean Knights no longer needed theirs. Rone and Serge thanked the Knights and they made oaths and swore fealty, and the Knights departed to whence only Rone knew, and were always just a call away when in need. Thus the six companions rested that night, and ate food provided by the knights and slept soundly.

What will happen next? Will the six companions storm the tower and slay the remaining doppelgangers. Or will they try and discover whence the lizards came from? Find out next�

* * *

03

Many days had passed since they left the hold and started their journey to the Reavers. Every now and then, the party could see large flying beasts, high above them.

�Those are the Reaver�s steeds,� explained Starba. �They are called the Steamers for their breath is hot and steam issues forth. Some have been known to breath fire, but this is rare and only in the purest breeds. Fantastic creatures the are, feathered and brightly colored.� After five days of weary travel, sometimes on the road and other times off, they arrived at the Reavers gates. Surprisingly, they were open. A man clad in light armor and with a quiver on his back approached them smiling.

�My scouts spotted you days ago and we have been awaiting your arrival,� said Marcman. The six weary travelers dismounted. Immediately, some of Marcman�s men came and took the horses to the stables, where they were fed and watered. Marcman walked up to Starba and took her hand. He knelt and kissed it.

�And as always, it is a pleasure to see you again,� he said grinning. He knew how much this stuff irritated her. She slapped him and walked off, but he still caught her little grin out of the corner of his eye. Marcman stood and faced the others.

�Starba knows her way around the Reavers fairly well, but I will have my Lieutenant show the rest of you around. Feel free to explore and rest up. Rone and Serge, I would like to talk with you later, if possible.�

�No problem, I would be glad to discuss some things� said Rone. Serge nodded as well. Marcman left and his Lieutenant came forward. He introduced himself as Jeff The Misled, but he urged them all to simply call him Jeff. Jeff took them through the Reavers headquarters and showed them everything. Upon entering the gate, many shops were set up to the right and to the left. It seemed that The Reavers receive a fair amount of traffic in order to maintain shops. At the end of Merchant Lane there were steps that led up to the main castle doors. To either side were gardens, and they were fairly extensive. In the east side there were the training ground. Roped off were areas for swordsmanship and hand to hand, and there was also an areas dedicated to archery. Archery seemed to be the main form of combat in this place, but the men that lived here were very familiar with sword, mace and axe as well. To the west was a small wooded area, with chairs and a little pool. North, directly behind the castle was a very large building, with large beams erected in a haphazard way, reaching far into the sky. It was roofed, but there were no walls, and ladders led up to even the topmost beam. Perched upon these beams were countless Steamers, of very large size. None of the pavilionites had seen birds such as these before, indeed, they lived nowhere but in this place. Some were golden, other sable. Some were purple and some were white. These were the Reavers Steeds, and they seemed very strong and healthy. Then Jeff led them into the castle.

He showed them all the main areas, the mess hall, the kitchen, the outlets and the beds. He showed them the armory and the war room as well. �These must not be entered, unless you have permission first� Jeff said. Then he left them to wander as they would. Rone and Serge left to find Marcman while the others went outside.

�I am going to go for a swim in the pool,� said Blitz with a stretch. �I haven�t gone swimming in ages!�

�I�ll join you� said LF and with that, they left. Cerebral went down to the arenas and watched the swordsmen fighting. They were fighting well, but Cerebral simply smiled.

�Mind if I have a turn?� he asked, shedding his cloak. The soldiers stopped and eyed him carefully. One of them, a burly man stepped forward and smiled.

�How much cash you have on ya?� he asked. Cerebral shrugged.

�Enough� he said. �Will you let me practice with you or no?�

�For a price� said the burly man, evidentially, the trainer. �Thirty bekas� he stated, and held out his hand. �You can give it to me now. If you win, you can have it back and I will double it. If I win, you have to triple it!�

�Done!� said Cerebral. He leapt into the roped off area and fished out some bekas, handing it to the man, the man pocketed it. The Trainer went to a rack and selected a stout and swift slashing sword, and Cerebral drew his own.

�There is but one rule, and that is you may not actually harm your opponent� said the Trainer. � Now fight!� the two men leapt at each other in a swirl of steel and all watching stepped back. Loud clashing rang throughout the training grounds and the onlookers were amazed at their ferocity of Cerebral. No one had come this close to even matching the Trainers skill, but Cerebral was dancing too and fro as if he were an expert. They stared at the two in awe. The Trainer lunged and aimed for Cerebrals arm, but Cerebral dodged and deflected the sword, sending a shiver down the Trainers arm. The Trainer stepped back gasping.

�Your� good� he said panting. �But I was only testing you before. Now you shall see how mighty I am!� and with that he leapt into the air and came down on Cerebral like a stone from heaven. Cerebral blocked the attack, but the force of it sent him sprawling on his back. The Trainer ran to him but Cerebral rolled and leapt to his feet again. Like a skater on ice, he pranced to and fro, evading the Trainers every strike. At last, tired of the game, Cerebral landed a blow knocking the sword from the Trainers hand. He brought the blade to the Trainers neck as the Trainer clutched his hand in disbelief.

�You lose,� said Cerebral with a grin� looks like betting doesn�t pay, eh?� the Trainer was white-faced and shamed, but he was a man of honor.

�Yes, you win and I owe you sixty bekas� he said sadly. But then a glint came to his eyes.

�Tell me�do you like ale?� Cerebral lowered his sword and grinned. The Trainer smiled.

�I have a tab at the bar that is already paid up. Would you like to have a drink with me and my men? I will buy you and my men as much as you wish.�

�Deal! Your debt is paid!� said Cerebral, and he laughed.

�Come men! Free drinks all around!� shouted the Trainer, and his men cheered as they went in search of the Barkeep.

* * *

04

Rone and Serge entered the war room and Marcman was there waiting for them. He motioned them to have a seat at the round table in the center of the room.

�News of your fight against the Doppelgangers has spread far already,� he said, leaning forward. �The Doppelgangers Masters will soon catch wind of it and send their remaining force here.� He then was silent, as if in deep thought. Serge broke the silence.

�Whatever they throw at us, we can repel. We have your winged archers and Rone has the Macerean Knights. I am not worried.� Marcman shook his head.

�Not much is known about these Doppelgangers, but we do know enough. That battle before the Hold was a might victory indeed, but it was child�s play compared to what we have in store for us.�

�What do you mean?� asked Rone intently.

�These doppelgangers are much more than they seem,� said Marcman. �They have more powers than merely changing shape. They can assimilate attributes as well.� Rone and Serge looked puzzled. �Let me explain� he went on. �In a battle between men, there are those that are fighting because they are brave, and those that are fighting because they are forced to. Obviously, those whose hearts are not into the battle are more likely to turn tail and run. This has always been the problem with open field warfare. Yet Doppelgangers have the ability to take on the attributes of the bravest in their army. But it only works if the army is comprised of like creatures. That is why they were easier to destroy back at the Hold, for they were united with the lizard folk. If the doppelgangers were to mount an attack on us, they would all be fierce and experienced warriors, if even one of their kind is fierce and experienced.� Rone and Serge pondered this.

�So what we really need to do is surprise them, don�t we� said Rone. Marcman nodded. �That is what I have been thinking. But we need more than just my airborne knights to pull off an assault. We could use your knights, Rone.�

�Nay! My knights are only good in field battle. They would be no use in besieging a fortress.� Marcman smiled.

�This is the beauty of fighting evil. They do not care about their own kind, and therefore the doppelgangers are left outside the city gates to fend for themselves until called for. The main troops live in tents near the city gates, and with your Knights we could ride them down like grass. You should probably leave this instant so you can call them and arrive in time for the battle.�

�No need!� said Rone, pulling a silver object from his cloak. �I have this horn, the Horn of Shammah. Whence I blow it, no matter where I am, my Knights will hear it and come. They are very swift riders.� Marcman gazed at the Horn in wonder.

�What type of horn is that?� he asked, but Rone just smiled, and said nothing.

�Don�t forget me!� said Serge. �I can summon the Hosts of Katheros, the might axe-wielding men of my country. But I do not have a horn as Rone�s, so I must leave ere the sun rises in order to fetch them.�

�Excellent! We will have a mighty army when we reach the gates of the doppelgangers� said Marcman. Rone and Serge stood to leave, but as they did so Starba entered. She was trying to look stern and annoyed, but Rone and Serge could tell that she was faking.

�Please leave gentlemen, I must punish marc for kissing my hand!� she said angrily, but she couldn�t conceal her subtle grin. Rone and Serge nodded and left quickly. When the door shut they laughed and went to their respective rooms.

The next morning was a morning that all would remember for the rest of their lives. The knights of The Reavers took to the air, along with the pavilionites, save Rone. �Lightgrazer is swifter than any bird,� he said. �I hope your flying steeds can keep up with me!� The hosts of The Reavers took to the air. There were six divisions. Marcman led the Sable battalion. Blitz, and LF led two Gold battalions. The trainer rode a mighty Sapphire Streamer, and he lead the Purple battalion, while Cerebral rode a pale Steamer and led the White battalion. Starba led a battalion of mighty female archers, and they rode upon Argent Airborne steeds, their blazing feathers brightening the sky. Rone rode underneath them on Lightgrazer as they made way to the Last Doppelganger Stronghold. Lightgrazer leapt over hole and stone as easily as if he were flying, indeed at times it appeared he was. Serge rode south on a Verdant Steamer, the swiftest of all the Steamers. He was heading towards his homeland of Katheros, and when he returned, a host of his people would follow. Thus the company departed from the Reavers Fortress and made war on the Doppelgangers. A brave yet desperate act that would not be made into any song, nor remembered by any person save those directly involved, yet it sent a stone rolling that would cause the avalanche that would change the history of mankind, forever.

[b][I]What will happen next? Will the hosts of Marcman arrive in time? Will they be spotted, thus giving the Doppelgangers time to assimilate? Will Rone call for the Macerean Knights in time? Will Serge ever make it to Katheros? Find out soon�[b][I]

* * *

05

*Note: Some of you who are familiar with Tolkien�s writings will see similarities in my short diddys. This is intentional, for I want people who are not familiar with Tolkien to get a glimpse of his awesome writing prowess. My little parts, however, are not copied and are completely original. Just to let you know. Here is my latest part:*

The doppelgangers had begun to flee, but the sight of Goyle in chains, used as a bargaining tool heartened them and they regrouped and charged. Over half of them had fallen and their bodies veiled the ground, but the doppelgangers were still strong in numbers and were fighting fiercely. Starba�s archer�s arrows were spent, and the women began swooping down on their blazing red steeds and flaying the doppelgangers with their long knifes. Starba reluctantly took out her mace and held it aloft. As soon as she did so it awoke and began to throb in her hands. Out of pain or rage Starba did not know, but she fell from the sky like a bolt from heaven and with her mighty mace she thwarted all that came upon her. Like a fierce flaming standard it appeared to the doppelgangers and they fled before her wrath.
Cerebral was in the foray again, but his mind was weary and all the strength he could muster was sent to fighting. He hovered above the field and sliced off the heads of his foes. But his strikes were few, and often he sailed up into the air to rest. Twice he almost fell, but his steed was wise and swift and lurched him back into position. Blitz was well hidden, for he hid himself. Under a pile of bodies he scurried and sat there weeping as swords clashed and blood spilled around him. He was safe, but even if he were not, nothing would move him.
The Macerean knights were dwindling. Already thirty fine men had fallen, some wounded others killed and the Knights� charges were becoming weaker by the moment. Still, many doppelgangers were slain and cast aside at each of the Knights� charges.
But then they saw the two Goyles', and Rone commanded a halt. Strangely, the doppelgangers halted as well, and for a moment the only movement on the field were the bodies of the wounded and dying men. All was silent and the Doppelganger who captured Goyle spoke again.
�Lay down your weapons! Take up your steeds, both of land and air and leave! If you do this, I shall give you back this�thing,� he said kicking Goyle. Goyle groaned and did not move again. All as quiet, and then Cerebral spoke.
�How do we know that he is not wounded beyond healing?� he asked, bringing his Steamer to a hover in front of the dark gates. The Doppelganger smirked.
�Oh, you do not know, indeed, I give you no guarantee. But there is at least hope for his survival, and knowing your weak kindness, I am sure that you will forsake all simply for the life of this one!� Cerebral sat motionless and was about to respond when he stopped. He looked upward, beyond the gate.
Suddenly LF swooped from the sky and seized Blaze. With a sweep of his sword the chains fell from him and Blaze was born into the wind on the back of LF�s mighty Steamer. With a mighty cry LF flew over the baffled Doppelganger and into the field, and at the sight the Knights and men let out a loud cheer, for Blaze was alive and well and held his head high, tired though he was. But Rone was not cheering. He charged towards the Doppelganger in great distress.
�No! Don�t�!� but it was too late. The angry Doppelganger flung Goyle's body aside and pulled out an axe and threw it at LF and Blaze. Twirling in the air it sliced of LF�s head, and both his head and his body fell from the Steamer. Blaze cried out in dismay, but had enough wits about him to seize the reigns. Blitz lay amongst the bodies mumbling to himself when a heavy object fell from the sky near him. He cried out in fright, but then the head rolled near him. Its mouth was open and moving, but slowly it stopped and became an open gape. It was LF. Blitz stared it the head in disbelief. But his fear was vanquished and his mind resolved. In cold hopelessness he stood to his feet. Not a tear did he shed, but his grief was beyond tears. Stooping, he picked up the sword of one of the fallen Macerean Knights. He lifted it up and called out in a loud frenzied voice, �Death! Onward men and Knights! Onward to death!� And with that mighty cry the Macerean Knights charged and the Steamers swarmed and the battle recommenced. One of Starba's warrior maidens was shot and she and her Steamer fell near blitz. He rushed over to it and thrust the body aside, muttering �death, death to us all� and he leapt upon the bird. With a kick the Steamer shot up and Blitz called again, �To me! To me, ye flying warriors! We ride to death! Onward to death and decay!� and with that the flying hosts cheered and shouted as if in one voice, �To death! Onward to death!� and the Macerean Knights followed suit, and all the mighty men banished fear from their hearts and began to slay with no remorse. The doppelgangers were stunned with the sudden change of events. First they were dismayed at the recovery of Blaze, then heartened at the death of LF, but confused with the sudden fierceness of their enemies. Some fled, not knowing what was going on, other fought desperately, and yet others cast away their weapons and cowered in fear. But their enemies did not care about the doppelgangers state of mind. They lashed out in a hopeless foray of sword, axe and knife, and soon all their enemies were fleeing for the ocean. Some cast themselves into it and drowned and those that did not were hewn down by the swift riders of the Steamers.
With a cry of dismay, the Doppelganger Goyle, turned aside and fled. As he ran his form changed, and they could see that he was indeed a mighty Doppelganger, apparently a king or chieftain. The Knights roared and followed, but the Chief Doppelganger seemed to run as if on wings, and was soon safe within his small city. The battle was over and the Pavilionites had won, but at much cost.
In the aftermath of the battle, scouts were sent into the city to find any survivors. None were found, nor could they find the Chief. The bodies of the fallen were then sorted. The doppelgangers were thrown into the city, but the mound was so high that no fire could quench them. So they left the bodies to rot.
In all, The Macerean knights lost seventy of their riders and 14 steeds. Marcman lost 37 of his airborne knights, including Starba's battalion of archers, and 29 Steamers. LF was also slain. In the battlefield, away from the pools of orange blood, three mounds were made. One of the bodies of Marcmans men, and another of Rone�s Knights. Under the last were the steeds, both horse and fowl. The grass grew long and bright over these mounds in the many years to come, but nothing ever came near the Doppelgangers city again. In the center of the three mounds, LF was buried, and a large stone was placed over his grave. A captain among men he was and his name was long remembered in the annals of the chief Captains of the Doppelganger Wars.
That night the remaining warriors camped near the ocean, as far away from the broken city as possible. For the most part they were quiet, yet late into the night people began to talk amongst themselves and soon the troops were laughing and telling jokes, and recounting their mighty deeds during the battles. The Pavilionites remained close together around the largest fire and mourned over the death of Lion Franco. Rone stared off towards the sea.
�I wonder why they never came,� he said, almost to himself. Starba over heard his musing.
�Who?� she asked, stretching out on the sand. Rone turned away from the sea and stared at the fire.
�Serge and his men from Katheros. They never showed. If they had, perhaps things might have gone different.� Blitz was seated furthest away from the fire, and he did not speak. Goyle crawled over to him and tried to cheer him up.
�Thanks for what you did back there,� he said softly. �If it had not been for your mighty cry, I may have never been rescued.� But Blitz said nothing. At last he spoke softly.
�I didn�t die,� he said slowly, as if regretful. �Back there, I mean. I didn�t die. I sought death, but he evaded me.� Goyle shook his head.
�Nonsense. It is good that you remain with us. Your courage has returned and we might need that courage later on.� Blitz smiled faintly.
�Its not fair. Why him? Why not me? LF was mighty and bold. I was a coward and a pest. Why, it was my own fear that fueled the doppelgangers in the latter part of the battle!� and with that he covered his face and wept. But soon he recovered and wiped the tears from his eyes.
�That was the last of it,� he said. �There are none left. I will never weep again. But at least now my soul can heal,� and with that he curled up by the fire and slept. Goyle looked at his friend thoughtfully and sighed. Then he looked out to the sea. A strange ship was setting sail from the city. At first it didn�t hit him, but then he stood and cried out:
�Hark! A ship from the city!� he said and the Pavilionites leapt to their feet and stared out to sea. Indeed, it was a ship and it was displaying a long, orange banner.
�The doppelganger Chief, I guess,� said Marcman. Rone nodded.
�Yes, it is their chief. But there is nothing we can do about it tonight. Sit, everyone, and let us rest while we can!� They slept through the night peacefully and warm, and awoke to a new clean day, as if the earth had forgotten about the horrors of the day before. The Macerean Knights were now merely 200 in number, and they mounted their steeds mournfully.
�Good by my friends� said Rone in farewell. He gave the captain his horn. �Where we will be going, I will not need that. Heal quickly and live peacefully!� He blessed them, and the Knights departed, as swift as the wind. After the galloping of hooves died down and the last specks of green mantles disappeared, Rone turned to the remaining Pavilionites.
�Why did you send them away?� asked Starba as Rone returned to the fire.
�Because we wont need them. Horses can not ride on water.� Blaze sat up and rubbed his eyes, as if he had been sleeping.
�You mean to follow the Chief?� he asked. Rone nodded
�It seems like the best thing we can do.� Blaze stood up and shook his legs.
�Then you will need me,� he said. �I know the city like clockwork and I can find us a good ship. Besides, I left my belongings in the woods behind the doppelgangers� city before I was captured� and with that, he dashed off towards the city.
�My Steamers wont be needed anymore then,� said Marcman and he motioned for his men to mount their great birds. �However, I wish to accompany you as well. I will take my men back to the Reavers, and then I will ride back on Mistwind here and find you at sea.� He patted his sable Steamer and she almost purred. Marcman leapt upon the back of Mistwind but Starba halted him from taking off.
�I will come as well,� she said and without giving a chance for Marcman to say no, she jumped on behind him. Marcman shrugged and off they went to the west, with the Steamer hordes at their tale. Cerebral stood and walked to the shore. When he came back his face looked grim.
�It is late afternoon,� he said �and the ship we saw last night has traveled many leagues. It is a hopeless shot to pursue them. But I see the necessity of it. If we do catch the Chief, we can stop him from bringing more doppelgangers to our lands. And if we fail�� he did not finish his sentence. Just then a large, orange sailed ship came nigh to the shore. On it stood Blaze, waving his mighty white sword.
�Well, its time� said Rone. He whispered something in Lightgrazers ear, and the swift horse dashed off towards the North.
�We can not wait for Serge,� he explained �and I told Lightgrazer to find him for us and tell him where we went.� Jeff looked shocked.
�Your horse can talk?� he asked, but Rone just winked. �Not necessarily�� he said but Blitz cut him off.
�Come! There is no time to talk idly. To the ship!� and with that he waded towards the ship as did the others. Late in the afternoon, the mightiest ship in the doppelgangers armada sailed off to the unknown east, bearing Cerebral, Rone, Blitz, Blaze, and Jeff The Misled. Whence they traveled they knew not where, but they were together, and that was all that mattered at the moment.

* * *

06

The company remained silent as they waited for Marcman to return. Hours went by and the ship stayed anchored, far enough away from the rocks so that it did not drift into them. But Marcman had not returned and the afternoon was waning. At last Cerebral got impatient.

�We are accomplishing nothing by staying on this boat!� he said frustrated. �Marcman is taking too long to return. I say we let down the dingy and make for the shore.� But just then a large shape came out of the mist and landed on the deck of the ship. It was Mistwind, but she was riderless. She looked tired and beaten and many feathers were missing. She squealed mournfully and a large billow of steam issued from her mouth, and then she collapsed and slept.

With that, the men began to ready the dingy. Before long all were in it and Rone was paddling to shore.

�Are we just going to leave the boat anchored like that, with only Mistwind to protect it?� Asked Starba, looking back at the boat fading behind them.

�Its not like anyone is going to steal it� said Blitz with a yawn. Soon they had floated in amongst the rocks and Rone jumped out and hauled the boat onto the shore. The seven travelers stepped out and onto the rocky shore. The mist had become thick around them and they could not see far ahead in any direction. But what they saw of the landscape was bleak and dreary. Large wet rocks littered the beach and it was hard footing. The company walked a little into the mist and soon they came to a wall of trees. They entered the thicket, and found out that it was not a thicket at all, but rather a large tropical forest that went deep into the island. Whether it was luck or design, they chanced upon a long worn trail. It wound this way and that and had many pits and snares, but it was wide and flat.

�I don�t know if it is wise to follow a well trodden trail, especially in a strange land,� said Cerebral uncertainly. Blaze loosened his sword in his sheath.

�Perhaps, but it is the best way to find an enemy occupied town or dungeon.� He said. �Otherwise we might wander the forest for days on end. Ready your weapons!� and with that everyone made their weapons easily accessible. They traveled the road for hours and it seemed to have no end. Soon it began to get dark and the trail was harder and harder to discern. At last Rone brought the company to a halt.

�Its no use trying to continue on today. We must all rest and wait until daylight.� He wandered off into the woods on either side of them and came back a moment later.
�There is a small clearing large enough for us to make camp. Lets leave the road for now and get some rest.� The Pavilionites left the trail and went to the place Rone had designated. Goyle began to make a small fire and soon it was a bustling little flame, fed by the thick limbs of the tropical trees about them. The companions lay down on the rocky dirt and tried to get some sleep. Strangely the mist soon lifted, and it was a clear night. The stars were shining and the full moon could clearly be seen, far above the treetops. Goyle sat nearest the fire, periodically throwing another log in the flames.
Far off in the distance, he thought he heard a howl. Goyle paused momentarily, but shrugged it off as the wind and threw another log in the fames. There he sat for the longest time, for some reason not being able to sleep. But then he sat up strait, for he thought he heard the howl again, It was much nearer now, as if whatever had made the noise was running swiftly and right towards them. Goyle shook his head, thinking that he was hearing things, but Rone sat up out of his sleep. And looked out into the trees.
�Did you hear it too?� Goyle asked and Rone nodded. He stood to his feet and drew his sword. As the hiss of metal came out of his sheath, the others slowly stirred and awoke. Cerebral sat up and looked at Rone quizzically.

�What is wrong?� he asked but Rone silenced him. They could tell that he was listening for something, but what it was they could not guess. But then they heard I too. Now, much nearer, a long howling came to their ears and the jumped to their feet.

�Wolves� hissed Starba under her breathe and she drew her mace.

�Fire is a much better weapon� Blaze said, �for wolves fear flames� he took the pile of logs that Goyle had collected and threw them into the flames. Soon he has a bonfire going ant the heat made everyone sweat. Suddenly a figure burst out of the woods and ran towards them. Rone and Cerebral leapt in front of it, brandishing swords, but then lowered their weapons.

�Wolves!� cried Marcman falling to his knees. His clothing was in tatters and he had scratches and bite marks all over his body. �Wolves all around us! I�m sorry, but I saw the fire and ran for help. They followed me, those accursed�� but he fell forward and passed out. Starba cried out and immediately came to his side. She began to tend his wounds and made him as comfortable as possible. The loud howling was now upon them, and it seemed that green eyes were glaring at them through the trees.

�The fire!� commanded Blaze earnestly, and everyone took a burning branch from the flame and held it out towards the wolves. At first the eyes all disappeared, but they could still hear the beats trampling the leaves and sticks around them. Not long after, some of the more daring wolves burst into the ring, trying to catch the Pavilionites off guard. Blitz lashed at a wolf with his burning stick and caught the wolf�s hair on fire. A reek came from him and wailing the wolf ran back into the woods. But several more wolves became bolder and soon everyone was batting away the wolves with their brands of flame.

�The fire has lost its effect!� said Rone and dropping his burning brand he took up his sword and held it aloft. It flashed white and looked as if in was dazzling white flame, and he lunged at the wolves around him. He nipped the ear of one, but the rest fled, wailing into the night. But one wail was louder than all the rest and soon it became a mighty roar. A giant wolf in the shape of a man stepped into the ring and snarled fiercely. The wolf-man wore pants and they were in tatters, but the rest of his body was covered in thick, wiry hair that bristled and he growled. His face was long and pointed and his teeth shown like silver. His ears were bent back and he appeared like he was about to lung at them all. His claws slashed at the air and he charged Rone. But Cerebral and Blaze leapt to Rone�s aid and the three beat back the wolf-man fiercely, but strangely, their swords left no mark. Still the wolf retreated, but soon came back. Morning was coming and the stars had vanished, but still the wolf-man charged. Soon it took all of the Pavilionites to keep off the beast, save Starba who was still tending Marcman. In a fierce effort, the wolf-man scrambled up a tree and hurled himself over the heads of his enemies and was now behind them. Things would have proved ill had the sun not come up, but just then a fierce gleam of blazing sunlight shot through the trees and smote the wolf-man like a blow from a sword. The wolf-man shrieked and fell to his kneed, grabbing at his head. He began to whither in size and convulse violently on the ground. His hair grew shorter and became more fine. His face buckled under and became more round. His claws grew shorter as did his teeth. With a final howl his voice changed from a beast to that of a man, and his whole body lost all appearance of being a wolf. There he lay as if asleep as the sun slowly climbed.

�It�s Marlwolf!� said Jeff in amazement, as he lowered his sword, and indeed it was Marlwolf, but how he got to this strange land no one knew.

Suddenly the other wolves burst from the trees and the Pavilionites spun around, prepared for another attack. But the wolves all sat down on their haunches and cleaned themselves or yawned. Some scratched their noses with their paws and over all seemed very unconcerned with things. Then Marlwolf recovered and stood to his feet.
He looked about him at all the familiar faces wonderingly, but then he cried out for joy.

�Jeff! Cerebral! Blaze! What are you all doing here!� but they just stared at him blankly. He then looked at the form of Marcman on the ground by the fire as Starba sat next to him with bloody bandages in her hands. She met Marl�s eyes briefly but turned away. Marl gasped in shock and knelt beside his friend.

�Oh, Marcman, what have I done!� he said and he clasped Marcman's hand and wept. But Marcman stirred and much to the relief of his friends he opened his eyes.

�Well, if it isn�t old Marl, and in a strange place like this!� he said softly, and then he coughed. Marl was so overjoyed that Marc was still alive that he howled in glee, despite of himself.

�Heh, glad to see that you are healthy� said Marcman, �but if you don�t mind, I think I will go back to sleep. � and with that, Marcman�s head dropped and he slept peacefully.

�Well, its good that you are alright� said Blaze quizzically, �but would you mind explaining what�s going on here?� Marl nodded and stood to his feet.

�Not long ago I was captured by the doppelgangers,� he said, but he said the word doppelgangers very quietly and slowly, as if it were forbidden. �They took myself and the others to a large city and locked us up in a hideous dungeon. About this time yesterday a single doppelganger, their chief, I think, came into the dungeon with a wild look in his eyes. �Guickly! To the wharf!� he said as he unchained us, and he was very strong and we were weak from lack of food and water. He pushed us on into his boat and he set sail that night. We did not know what was gong on, but we obeyed for fear of death.�

�We seemed to make great speed, for early this morning we arrived here and the doppelganger took us along this road. He brought us to another hold of some sort and chained us again without a word. He put me an a cell with a window, and I panicked�

�You do not want me in this cell!� I warned him and tried to free myself. He kicked me and laughed. �I�m warning you! Don�t give me a cell where the moon can reach me, if you value your life!� but the doppelganger did not listen and he walked off.� At this Marlwolf sighed and sat down on a nearby rock, as if what he was about to say was painful to remember.

�Last night there was a full moon, but the mist seemed to be covering it, so I was at ease. But suddenly the mist disappeared and I was hit in the face with a burning beam of moonlight. You do not know how painful it is, changing into a werewolf. And the truly horrible part is that you do not have control of your actions while a werewolf, nor do you remember them. You literally become a beast.� And then he finished and bowed his head. Cerebral glanced at the other wolves.

�What about them?� he asked, pointing the out with his sword. Marl looked up and smiled.

�I guess I made a few friends last night,� he said walking over to one of the wolves. He knelt down and petted the wolf and it licked his face. Then he said something in a coarse language and all the wolves left him.

�Truly wonderful creatures, wolves are,� he said, returning to the company. �They told me that they would help me if I need it.�

�Good� said Rone sitting down �for we will definitely need it later today. Do you remember how to get to the Dopplegangers' hold?� he asked and Marl smiled.

�Oh yes!� he said and they party sat around the fire and discussed their next assault on the Doppleganers' Hideout.

* * *

07

Blaze, Rone and Cerebral had been in conference in the main cabin for a few hours. The sea was now calm and made the boat sway softly. The sails had been lowered, but a few were tattered and flying in the wind. Blitz and Goyle sat on the poop deck with their backs against one of the masts.

�Is it just me, or is it too hot out here?� asked Blitz wiping the sweat from his face. Goyle yawned and nodded.

�Heat always makes me sleepy� he said. Soon Blitz could hear the soft snoring of his friend beside him. Marl and Jeff walked over to the two sitting figures and sat down next to them.

�No fish at all!� exclaimed Marl angrily. He tossed his net overboard.

�We are just in a bad area,� said Jeff. �I�m sure we could find some fish a little further away from these cliffs.� But the duo didn�t have time to explore this venture. Blaze, Cerebral and Rone came out of the cabin. Starba came also, with Marcman behind her. He seemed to be better; at least he could walk. Cerebral was carrying a large sack. They came to the four men sitting near the mast.

�Alright, this is what we have come up with,� said Cerebral fishing in the bag. He pulled out a fairly long dagger. �There is no place around the cliff which we can see that offers a trail, or even a descent place to climb. So it looks like we are going to have to make our own places to cling.�

�What do you mean?� asked Blitz curiously. Rone motioned towards the cliff.

�Lets get down there� he said, lowering the dingy. �I will explain it all when we near the cliffs.� As the Pavilionites loaded into the dingy, Marcman came to Mistwind. He stroked her feathered head and she purred softly.

�Well Misty, I have to go for a bit. Indeed, I don�t know if I will be coming back.� Mistwind eyes flashed. �But I think it would be best if you stayed here. You are not yet fully healed and you may not be able to fly.� As if understanding what he was saying, the giant bird began to flap her wings. She rose off the deck for a moment, but then collapsed in exhaustion, rocking the boat.

�Never mind that!� said Marcman sternly. Mistwind whimpered. �You just stay here and heal up. If we come back, I promise to get you some nice Yantari Greens.� She seemed to calm down a bit, but disappointment was written all over her face. Marcman got on the dingy and Rone lowered the small boat into the water. With Blaze at the oars, the tiny boat pulled away from the orange-sailed ship and grew nigh the cliffs. Cerebral cast a rope around a nearby rock and the Pavilionites stepped onto the small, stony landing at the base of the cliff.

�Alright, this is what we will do.� Said Rone, holding a dagger. �We will use the daggers as stakes, and climb by them. Blaze will go ahead of us and stab the daggers into the cliff. He will keep going, making a sort of dagger-ladder.� Marl frowned.

�How will he make the dagger stick into the rock? I bet anything that the cliff will simply shatter the blade.� Blaze held one of the daggers aloft. �Burn!� he commanded and the dagger burst into a pale blue light. He walked over to the cliff and sunk the dagger into the stone. It slid in with a hiss then cooled, melding into the rock. Blaze stepped up on the shaft and began putting more in above him. He did so all the way up the side of the cliff. When he got to the top he gave Rone a signal.

�Alright, everything�s ready. Lets go.� He took the lead and began to climb the cliff face. Blitz followed, then Goyle, then Starba, Marl, Jeff, Marc and lastly, Cerebral. One by one the company came over the top. But Marc was getting tired. He had not fully recovered from his ordeal and his limbs were still weak. He slipped and fell.

Starba screamed as Marc fell from the top of the cliff, tumbling head over heels. �Is this it?� he thought to himself. He saw the land flipping underneath him and he felt the wind assailing his body. The ground loomed up closer and closer, and he shut his eyes. The next thing he knew he was enveloped in a kind of warm aura. It seemed to straighten him and he stopped tumbling. �I am dead,� he thought, but he realized his eyes were still closed. He opened them. He was dangling about twenty feet above the ground, and something was keeping him up. He looked above. A white aura had enveloped him and led to Cerebral, who was still clinging to the cliff side.

�I�ve got you!� said Cerebral. He closed his eyes and moved Marcman with his mind. But Marc was getting heavy and Cerebral began to strain.

�Just drop me! � said Marcman. �You will just hurt yourself! I don�t want to be the cause of your death.�

�Never!� said Cerebral panting. �Not�.as long as�.I still have the�..strength�� Marcman was slowly raised over the precipice and passed up Cerebral. Cerebral�s grip began to loosen. His right hand slipped and let go.

�Cerebral!� said Blitz, but it was too late. With a mighty howl, Cerebral thrust himself away from the ledge and began to fall. This somehow compensated for Marcman and he was hurled up over the ledge and onto safety.

�Do not forget me!� yelled an exhausted Cerebral, falling like a stone into the rocky sea below. �And defeat the cursed Doppelgang�� He spoke no more. Cerebral lay there motionless for a time, staring upwards at the sky as the ocean lapped around him. �They wont forget me,� he thought. �I will live forever, in their minds�� Two strange beings approached him solemnly, and picked him up off his feet. Cerebral smiled.

�Good to see you again LF. And you too Mort.�

* * *

The Pavilionites stared at the body for what seemed like hours. All were too shocked to do anything, save Marcman. He wept like he never had in his life.

�Why me!?� he cried. �I was wounded! I can�t fight! Why did he sacrifice himself�.for me?� He burst into tears, and only Starba was there to catch them. After a moment Rone turned aside.

�You heard what he said, friends.� Rone said sadly, almost as if he had finished weeping. �Now is not the time to mourn. Now is the time to fight. When this is all over we shall come back here and bury him like a king. But for now, we must go on.� With that, he and Blaze walked off towards the woods, and soon the rest followed. They came to the beginnings of a forest, and they stopped there and rested. Marwolf ran into the forest and returned a few minutes later, excitedly.

�We are there! We are near the Doppelgangers� Stronghold.� He pointed off into the woods, his clawed hand making a crooked pointer. �Beyond those trees lies the trail, and it leads to the back of the Stronghold. I can probably find a way in from there.� The Pavilionites proceeded along the trail for a few hours. The sun was high in the sky but the heat did not reach them in the forest. They stopped for a rest before going on. Blitz had a bag full of dried meat and bread, and he passed it around. The party ate their light but fulfilling meal quietly. A slight breeze wafted by. Goyle looked up.

�That�s strange�A breeze shouldn�t be able to reach us here. The sun even can�t.� But there was another breeze. And another. They began to become stronger. Blaze stood up.

�This is not natural,� he said. �This breeze is not made by the forces of nature.� The Pavilionites drew their weapons.

Suddenly there was what seemed to be an explosion. A fierce wind blew everyone to the ground and their weapons went flying. But as suddenly as it started, it stopped. They party looked up, and standing before them was BZ, looking as if he had never left.

�Sorry for my intrusion�� he said whimsically, �But did you guys need any help?� There was much rejoicing at the return of BZ and they immediately began asking him questions.

�There will be time for questions later,� he said. �But for now we need to go on. Pick up your weapons and let us depart. We don�t want to arrive at the Stronghold during the night.� But it wasn�t until night when they finally arrived at the Doppelgangers Stronghold. The Pavilionites crept into some nearby bushes and watched as the Doppelgangers went about their work. They were hauling great crates around and storing them in covered bays. Wagons pulled up and hordes of Lizardmen leapt out and greeted the Doppelgangers with evil ecstasy. Some were sword fighting for fun and even killing each other for the thrill. But they seemed little concerned with the prisoners and left the back of their Stronghold unguarded. The Pavilionites crept to the rear of the massive building. Marl walked around it and found a doorway.

�In here� he motioned and the Pavilionites filed in. The doorway led into a large room, seemingly unused. In the far wall there was a broken hole, and it led further into the headquarters.

�This leads to where the prisoners are kept� he said. �If we enter through this hole we should be able to arrive in the dungeon near to the main cells.�

�Alright� said Rone. �Some of us should go and the rest should stay here and guard the passage. Who wants to go?� BZ, Marcman and Starba accepted eagerly. �This should be quick and painless. You three go and rescue the other Pavilionites while we stay here and keep guard.� And with that, the three rescuers slipped behind the broken stone wall and ran off into a dark and dreary tunnel. Rone turned his back on the tunnel and drew his sword.

�We will work it in pairs� said Rone. �The doorway is small and not many Doppelgangers could get in at once anyways. Blaze and I will work the first watch while the rest of you sleep. Blitz and Jeff will take over for us and then we will sleep. Lastly, Marl and Goyle will take over for them while they sleep, and so on. We will have a three-hour shift each. If we are found out and we get attacked, we will fight in pairs. When the fighters at the door get weary, another will take his place. Does everyone understand?� They nodded and Blitz, Marl, Goyle and Jeff immediately sat against the wall and slipped off into sleep. Blaze and Rone walked to the door and took defensive positions to either side of it. The night continued on slowly and no one came. Blaze and Rone�s defense relaxed, and they leaned against the wall. Rone was so weary that he began to nod off.

�Rone!� whispered Blaze and he whacked Rone with flat of his blade. Rone jumped to a start and gripped his sword.

�Sorry, I am very weary� he said, relaxing a bit. �Make sure I do not fall asleep.� Blaze nodded.

�Don�t worry, I will. But I can understand why you are so tired. We all are tired. Here, let me try and keep your attention�� and Blaze began to talk of many things; his homeland and his friend back home. He told Rone how he used to be in an elite group of warriors called the �Night Force�, but he became too powerful for the Night Force and thus went to wandering the lands as a Ranger, administering justice. Then he told Rone about his discovery of the Doppelgangers and his eventual capture. But Rone did not become terribly interested until Blaze began to tell the tale of his sword, Nissi by name. Rone perked up, for the tale was very similar to how he acquired his own sword, Tsebaoth . �Perhaps they were made by the same Master Smith,� he thought. At long last three hours went by, and Blaze slowly roused Blitz and Jeff. They stood up, rubbing their eyes and took the next shift at the door. Blaze and Rone sat side-by-side and instantly fell into deep sleep. The two guards stood at their posts relentlessly, fighting off fatigue and playing games in their mind to keep awake. The hours drifted by.

�Doesn�t it seem to be taking a long time?� asked Blitz quizzically. Jeff nodded in agreement.

�It has been rather long. They have been in the tunnel for what�five hours now? It shouldn�t have taken them that long to rescue a few prisoners. I hope they are alright.� The guards remained silent for a while. Blitz looked up and was about to speak when a Doppelganger suddenly burst into the room. He looked like a younger creature, probably a stock boy sent on some errand to retrieve something, leaping unwittingly into a room full of the enemy. He stared, blinking for a moment at the four sleeping bodies against the wall, and then he backed up slowly. Turning around quickly to run out and report this, he at last saw the two guards standing on either side of the door wearing deadly eyes. Blitz and Jeff were not feeling terribly brave at the moment, yet they knew what they had to do and they drew their swords with a deadly hiss. But from the doppelganger's perspective, he was looking at two towering knights with blazing eyes and fierce, cruel swords, directed at him. He shrieked in terror, just as Jeff ran his sword through the creature, cutting it in two. Orange blood spewed from the carcass and the two halves fell to the floor. The sleeping Pavilionites leaped to their feet, for the shriek had awakened them. They looked at the scene before them and knew what had happened. Rone and Marl moved the body parts to the far corner and Goyle cleaned up the blood as best as possible.

�They will come looking for this one shortly,� said Blaze regretfully, �and I pray that they did not hear the shriek.�

�We should all stay awake then, if battle is eminent,� said Marl, clenching and unclenching his clawed paws,� Rone thought about this for a moment.

�No, it would do us no good. It would simply make us more tired. We will only be fighting in two�s anyway.�

�Well then, I will take my post now� Marl said, relieving Jeff. Goyle relieved Blitz as well.

�Wake us if any Doppelgangers come looking for this one� Blaze said, and they went to sleep again. Marl and Goyle remained very quiet. They could hear the noises of Lizardmen and Doppelgangers moving around outside. �We may get the prisoners out of their cell� thought Marl, �but how will WE escape?� Finally the Doppelgangers began to notice their missing errand boy and a stout Doppelganger strode into the storage room.

�Lad! What is taking you so�� the Doppelganger started, but Marl and Goyle lunged at the creature. It evaded them and dashed for the door. Marl let out a snarl and lunged at the Doppelganger, sinking his deadly claws into the beast and ripping it to shreds. But the Doppelganger let out a hideous cry that echoed through the woods. There was no way the Doppelgangers could have missed that.

Soon the doorway was surrounded by dozens of Doppelgangers and Lizardmen, and more were coming. Goyle and Marl were slaying all that passed through the doorway, but for every one they slew, two took its place. The commotion had aroused the sleeping, and if a Doppelganger got past the two warriors at the front, the ones in the rear finished it off. A pile of bodies was filling the room. Goyle and Marl began to get weary.

�Blitz! Jeff! It is time for your steel!� said Marl and he and Goyle leapt back while Blitz and Jeff filled their places. The two refreshed fighters thrust their blades into the foray and killed many with their first assault. Casting orange-covered carcasses aside, Jeff swung his mighty bastard sword to and fro like a scythe amongst grain. Blitz used his heavy long sword like a mallet and bashed through enemy helmets and armor as if they were made from chaff. But the Doppelgangers were pressing in vigorously, and it seemed as if the whole legion of them were at the door. Blitz saw no hope in their fight and he became very grim.

�All hope is gone!� he shouted above the clamor, and again cried the dooming words, �Death! Fight for death! Death is our hard earned reward!� and both he and Jeff took on a grim countenance of fierceness and the Doppelgangers seemed to quake in fear before them. But even the grimmest of warriors becomes weary and soon their swings were becoming slower than their enemies. Blitz sustained a gash in his arm and his weapon was flung aside.

�At last! The embrace of death!� he cried in glee. But Blitz enjoyed not the sting of death for Jeff pushed him aside and took the hordes on himself.

�Its time for the flames of Nissi and Tsebaoth !� Jeff cried as a huge mace crashed into his body and flung him against the back wall. He didn�t move after that. Blaze and Rone stepped up to the door and their dancing swords daunted all before them. The bodies were becoming so numerous that the room was full and they could no longer fight inside it. Only a narrow channel which led to the hole remained. With no where else to go but out, Rone and Blaze held aloft their swords and Rone cried, �Forb�rnan!� while Blaze called out �Burn up!�

Both swords ignited with the hottest of flames, Rone�s with white and Blaze's with blue, and a flood of heat was cast out the door, consuming all in its path. Rone and Blaze leapt out and stood amongst the ash. At first all fled before them, but both men were panting heavily and did not advance. The cowards thought this as weakness and attacked with a renewed force, hoping to get an upper hand, but they were met with fierce steel. Goyle, Jeff and Marl dashed into the foray and the five companions made a semi circle around the entrance with their backs to it, fighting all that came upon them. What the Pavilionites lacked in numbers they possessed in skill. Not a single Doppelganger or Lizardman could match them in a battle and all fell before their mighty stand. This battle was later known as the "Pavilionites Final Stand" and the tale of it was exaggerated beyond the realm of possibility, but the battle was never forgotten.

Mighty was the fight, but mighty fights are sometimes lost. The numbers of their enemies were still overwhelming and the men were exercising all their willpower to keep their weapons moving. Jeff limped out of the doorway clutching his side. His armor was shattered and his ribs broken, but he was still alive. He drew an arrow from his quiver and set it in his bow. He shot all enemies within his eyesight until his arrows were spent, and then he sat down by the door to die. Goyle lashed out a final time, but his sword arm could move no more. A giant Lizardman dashed against him and he lifted his limb just in time to protect his vitals, but his arm was shattered and was never the same again. He passed out next to Marwolf. There were only four men holding the storage room, and things were very grim. Marl was ravenous and frothing. His teeth and claws were stained orange and his whole body was dripping with blood and sweat, some his own and some not. But wolves do not tire as swiftly as men do and he was still as fierce as ever. His enemies avoided him and he had to lash out with his long limbs to catch someone to kill. But at last all will faltered, and the four remaining Pavilionites fell and the hordes overcame them.

* * *

In the sky far above, there was a fierce and horrible screech. A thing of terror fell from the clouds. Its eyes were blazing and its beak was curved like some cruel knife. Its talons were sharp and its form like an arrow. Mistwind had arrived. Like death itself the giant bird fell upon her prey like fire from the sky. Lizardmen and Doppelgangers alike fled before her. Some cried out in terror and froze, while others cast down sword and spear and ran about frantically. When her talons were generously drenched in that sweet orange blood, she rose high above the field and began to gurgle. Gurgle, not growl for the noise she made came deep from within her. Her enemies stopped where they were and stared at her in horror and amazement. Mistwind extended her wings just as the sun came over the horizon and cast its glimmering light on the battlefield.

Fire unlike anything ever experienced came upon the bewildered enemy and consumed them. Hotter than burning sulfur, an inferno spewed forth from Mistwind's mouth and drenched the battlefield with a brilliant light. Those that were consumed were turned into standing pillars of solidified ash. The Pavilionites dashed inside just in time to escape the flames. Marwolf grasped Jeff and Goyle and drug them indoors as brimstone and sulfur fell like rain. The torrent of flames beat the ground for what seemed like hours, but was really a matter of minutes. Then all was silent. The battleground smoked and steamed. All around there were pillars of ash in the form of Doppelgangers and Lizardmen, all with inexplicable horror written on their faces. None save the Pavilionites who were on the field that day escaped death. Not even Mistwind.

She fell from the sky with one farewell cry. Like a giant sable stone she plummeted to the earth, and buried herself in it with a fierce impact. Her body made a deep crater, yet the earth somehow covered her remains with a large mound that all could see for miles. In the years that followed, the mound became a place of honor, and yearly people would come to honor her final resting place with greens and brilliant plants. Her mound became the homes of many diverse flora, and in later days it was named the �Colorful Mound of Mistwind.�

�Mistwind!� cried Blitz, but he was interrupted. Out of the storage room dashed Marcman, Kireblade and Starba. Starba was weeping and Marcman and Kireblade looked distraught. BZ was nowhere to be seen.

�Run!� said Starba between tears and as if to confirm her words the giant Doppelganger Stronghold began to tremble violently. Without hesitating, everyone dashed for the road and did not look back. As they ran through the woods they could hear the massive structure behind them crumble into rubble. They burst out of the tress and ran towards the ledge, and none of them looked back towards the many horrors that remained behind them. Down the Ladder of Knives they climbed, and none spoke a word. Into the dingy and towards the Orange Sailed boat they rowed, and all that could be heard was the calm splashing of waves. The sun was slowly climbing when Rone raised the anchor and took the wheel, sailing them back towards their home with Cerebrals body resting on his bed. At last the horror of the night before passed, and they began to tend wounds and hug each other gratefully. The day waned and the Pavilionites rested. And then joy hit them like a flood. The shadow of darkness had passed, and all that remained was the light. Kireblade was the only captive alive but he was saved. The threat had ended and all that was left was the satisfaction of retribution. Soon the younger Pavilionites were laughing amongst themselves and exchanging stories of valor, while the elder Pavilionites simply smiled and listened to the calm waves lapping against the mighty Orange Sailed ship. The tattered sails somehow caught the wind fully and they cut through the ocean like a knife though butter. At last Marcman looked about puzzled.

�Where is Mistwind? Didn�t we leave her here?� At this all became silent, and sadness came to their eyes. Marcman understood. He looked out to the horizon and sadly remembered everything about her. But then something caught his glance. Not far in the distance he saw, or at least he though he saw the dim shape of a great bird. Riding it were four figures, and they all seemed strangely familiar. The bird passed by at some distance, and the figures waved a farewell. Then the bird gave a joyous cry, spread her wings as far as the ends of the earth, and flew off into the sun.

THE END

Thus ends The Pavilion Adventures. But a few questions remain. What happened in that dark and lonely tunnel? How was Kireblade saved? Where is BZ? And what ever happened to Loki and Serge? Find out in the Epilogue, soon to come.

* * *

08

When the Pavilion Adventures last left off, the Doppelganger Wars were won, the evil towlies were plotting their escape from the pool, Gouki was fighting in the arena, tjoris was going to finish his job to destroy the 2K�ers and their hideout, and Skylure was last seen jacking off into the sunset.

School Bus brought the weary band what fought the final battle at the fortress of lord Darkstar, creator of the doppelgangers, back home to the ruins of what once was the Pavilion. Kireblade, Roneatek, Starba, and Blaze rebuilt the Pavilion from the ruins in only a matter of months and swore that they must form an agency which would deal with these threats and neutralize all threats before they act. This agency would strike swiftly and from the shadows, infiltrating these groups and eliminating them one by one so as to reign supre-� er ensure the safety of Pavilionites everywhere, so they can create their games of bloody conquest and brutal warfare in peace and quiet. This group was named Rainb-� errrr Pavilion Six!

**josh** · 04-12-2006, 06:47 AM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

holy ****! that could be a published work, it's so long. I'll have to read through it later.

**Roneatek** · 04-12-2006, 09:38 AM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

Yeah, I once entertained teh idea of getting together with all the Pavy authors and P.O.D'ing a book for fun. Thats what I did with my collection of short stories, poems and novellas ( http://www.lulu.com/bmdennis )

Shameless plug, heh.

**josh** · 04-12-2006, 12:35 PM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

that's not a bad idea. like an anthology. "edited by (I don't know your name)". I would buy it, if only because I have a hard time with reading stuff that's really long on the computer. I get distracted...

**Roneatek** · 04-12-2006, 06:31 PM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

I could do so really easy, if there was enough interest. Someone here could design the cover, I could edit it and turn it into a PDF, and then sell it over lulu at the cost of production.

**Starba** · 04-13-2006, 02:31 AM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

OMG I had entirely forgotten about this thing!

You definitely get rep points for this one.

**Goyle** · 04-15-2006, 09:06 AM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

The thought of my entries in this scalds my mind.

Like, literally. My head is on fire.

brbfireextinguisher.

...I assure you, I'm a much better writer now.

**Roneatek** · 04-18-2006, 02:21 PM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

So am I Goyle, and I too am embarrassed at some of what I wrote (how pretentious!) I still love this thing because it was so incredibly imaginative, and we had a hell of a time doing it too

**Starba** · 04-18-2006, 05:58 PM

Re: Pavilion Adventures! - Archive

Actually for something we wrote, what, five or more years ago, it's not half bad! I COMPLETELY forgot I had written half that stuff. At first I thought you got the name wrong above my entry, but turns out my memory just sucks.

I forgot that it was originally a spoof on the Pavilion/RPGM2k rivalry. Clever.

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