Zarach

"What is your name, good samaritan?" asked Astra.

"Zarach Glintwine. I am a monk of the Duskvar Temple. And who do I have the pleasure of rescuing this night?"

"My name is Frederigo D'Honaire." stated Fred. "And this is Princess Astra of Aqualaria."

"A pleasure. Now that introductions are completed, perhaps we should retire to the temple with all haste. Demons are the manifestation of hatred, and they will not forgive a slight like that for a star's lifetime. Follow me."

Fred and Astra followed the portly Zarach through the tangled undergrowth and gnarled, forbidding trees of the thick forest surrounding them. Despite his girth, Zarach appeared to have no problem maintaining a brisk pace, and at times even Fred and Astra struggled to keep up with him. He moved as if he knew every intimate detail of the woods; his step never faltered, and he always located a way through the thicket of nature, even when to Fred there seemed to be no way of moving ahead.

An unearthly howl echoed around the forest as the trio climbed a particularly steep rise. It sounded distant, but nonetheless very large and angry. "Ye Gods, what was that?" asked Fred as clambered to the top of the slope. "Are we being followed?"

"It is hard to tell." muttered Zarach as he and Fred grasped Astra's outstretched wrists and helped her up the slippery incline. "We at the temple have felt and heard this disturbance to the balance for several days now. Those black demons have infested this place. We have not yet identified the source of these happenings. It is a dire time indeed for my brethren."

They walked on for a few furlongs more. Suddenly.....

1. .....a serene clearing opened out in front of them. They had reached the Duskvar Temple.
2. .....Zarach gave out a strangled gasp, and collapsed to the ground.
3. .....Astra, without warning, leapt on Zarach's back and pinned him to the ground. She held her pointed stick to his throat.
4. .....Zarach, without warning, spun around and struck Astra on the chin, knocking her unconscious.
5. .....the group were attacked by the demons once more.

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