Help Arrives

Fred's patience was now nonexistent. "Listen you, we don't know where this bubbling cauldron is, let alone how to reach the Tower which is surrounded by liquified stone! Once inside we don't know who or what we'll face, let alone the weapons needed to defend ourselves and kill you! So don't tell me that you've already given us all the help we need!"

The lich looked amused and was about to respond when three figures entered the area. One was a man, tall and large of belly, wearing armour common to Allaria and etched with the sigil of a three-horned bull. Another of the figures was a woman clothed in the metal skin common to the Aqualarian elite-guard, only a lock of her short-cut black hair curled out from under her finely smithed helmet. The last was a youth, a girl no more than thirteen who wore the common clothing of a smithy-daughter from the southlands.

Almost simultaneously Astra and Fred cried out. "Serafina!" called out Astra. "By all the goddesses, how did you get here?" "You are from the House Angle!" shouted Fred. "Are there more, do you have reinforcements?"

As to the lich, he simply sat and watched. He would've continued to do so if it weren't for the fact that the thirteen-year-old ran at him, lept into the air, did a double somersault and came crashing down on his head… at least it would've been his head if he was still sitting in his chair! This caught the attention of our other heroes, and it was Fred (of all people) who had to constrain the girl and explain the importance of this particular lich. Once that was done, introductions were in order.

"I am Randolf, Second in Command of the Guard in Tindleton Farthing of the Duchy Sunderland. I was sent by Duke Hargrove Angle on a mission that brought me here. Too many things have happened for me to speak at this moment, but I am a brother-in-arms to Sir Frederigo of Suffex, Dragon- Hunter and Duke's Son." Fred was a little embarrassed by the formality of his brother Allarian, but he was glad to have him at his side.

The amazon looked at the men with indifference and then at Astra; she spoke to Astra: "Princess, what have we to do with the likes of these?" Astra looked at her sister-in-arms and smiled. "Fair said, sister, but as the man stated, too many things have transpired for me to explain easily here. Tell the men who you are so that their jabbering will be done with." Fred was not at all pleased at the turn in Astra's attitude of late. "My name is Serafina Temis'arte. I hail from the grand lands of Aqualaria, being born on the shores of the Bay of Tolomei. My Queen Heliastra is fair and merciful, my sister Astra is strong and bold." Astra gleamed with the recognition that she knew was her due.

Last came the small voice of the little girl. She stood only 4'11" tall, with a slender frame carrying a face with soft features and large eyes. Her auburn hair reached down to her shoulders and were tied in two ponytails. "People call me Eliza. I, um, well, uh, am from…you know, well, Califie. And, uh, well…that's about…it."

There was an odd clapping sound from behind them, and as they all turned they saw that it was the lich. "Well said, each and everyone. Now, to business. Fred, you wanted help, here it is. Don't ask me how they got here, because I don't know, but be that as it may, they are here. Now go, find me, and kill me!"

"But we can't take this girl!" said Randolf.

"I'm NOT just a girl!" cried Eliza. "I'm…I'm…."

"You're a little girl," said Fred more gently.

"NO! I'm a Slayer and I can kick your ass!"

This statement took the whole assembly by surprise and they all began to laugh. That was their mistake. Immediately the little girl from Califie lept into the air, kicked her feet off of the side of the wall and literally flew head-on into Fred! He was thrown into Randolf who fell like a tin soldier onto the ground. The men stopped laughing while the Aqualarians laughed even more. Things were quickly calmed and the little girl from Califie was re-evaluated. In the end, it was accepted that she would be coming along on this big adventure (although she refused to say why it was so important to her).

1. They begin their journey
2. A few last questions for the lich

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree