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“I young warrior am Draganess leader of the guild Rise of Honour my partner in these duties is Lampoon but he is away traveling at the minute”. She said and added under her breath “As he seems to be doing a lot of late”. But she kept a smile on her fairy like features though to show that we were carry on with the business at hand. “I hear that you have shown the character that is so common in MY guild”. This little word was emphasized so strongly that I thought she was in control even if there were 2 people on leadership. (This was later to be explained to me and later it will be explained to you reader). “So Go-trek is it” she said pronouncing my name wrong. “Err no it’s Gotrek.” I tried to make it as clear as possible with out making fun of her accent. “Well young 1 I think you will like the members of this guild they are a nice friendly bunch and they like a good laugh so try not to get offended by any thing they say” then she tilted her head back and laughed out loud. But covered her mouth quickly with her hand in a lady like way so that as not to show her self up.
Draganess lead me back to my soon to be new guild as we walked she asked me were and what quests I have done. As I spoke I couldn’t help but notice that the Sorcerer still had his eye on me. He didn’t look that tuff I though in my head no upper body strength at compared to my own massive frame; nor did his body show signs of a heath life my own was of a physical titan. I though. “Who is this little man to look down his nose at me” At this place and time I had no fear of Sorcerer’s powers. This was soon to change.
We all got to know each other on my first guild hunt with my new allies. It seemed that the Sorcerer was ‘Black Dragan’ Draganess husband and only staring at me in case I was trouble. He seemed nice enough when you got to know him. But he was a Sorcerer and this class of hero was still a mystery to me as was this Taoist really, all I knew on them was they could heal people and hide them selves from combat. But as we traveled I did start to figure out these classes a bit more in-depth. It seemed that these Taoists could summon a ‘Skeleton’ to there aid and a ‘Shinsoo’ plus an impressive array of defensive and offensive boosts for combat all with the aid of these magical ‘Talismans’ there were other things but to many for me to remember. But these Sorcerers were the same only more so they had powerful spell coming out of there ears, all the elements were at there command, there seemed no end to the knowledge they could store in there head and the power they could weald in there scrawny frames. (If I seem bitter reader it’s just that these other classes might train hard in mind and they seem to have the upper had from time to time but when the chips are down and fighting is all around they all scream for a warrior’s blade to save them).
It seemed the guild was large very large I had know idea that there was so many hero’s in the lands of Mir and that even so it seem that monsters and enemies lurked everywhere. But here and now I felt powerful and invincible. I charged at the enemy when the call was shouted I think his name was ‘Slifer’ the warrior who was at my side in combat. Not that it mattered I thought with these healing spells and boosts I felt invulnerable I could take on the world. I had to take a breath after the combat it seemed to Draganess that warriors can go a bit blood crazy the first time the blessings are cast upon them it seemed true in my case at lest. After I had gotten my head together I could see the real damage was being caused by spells wielded by the Sorcerer he would blast the beasts and we would finish them off in hand to hand, then the Taoists would heal and bless if needed. All was going well till the real mobs jumped us. “Fall back Slifer. Gotrek do the same now!” Draganess shouted from behind a mob of her own. “Fall back up the corridor let us soften them up with ranged magic”. “I would love to oblige” bellowed Magic Touch Max the other Taoist “But I can’t get out from these without my head leaving my shoulders it would seem” he laughed. I quickly made a decision “HONOUR OR DEATH” I roared as I barreled in to the backs of Max’s mob taking every one by surprise. By now though I had gained a very useful fighting skill known as ‘Half Moon’ this managed to hit all of Max’s opponents and turn there attention on me. This gave Max the time to run for safety and being a warrior I could brake from this lot and run after my new comrades and live to keep fighting. “Well done Gotrek a bit rash but not half bad. Are you alright” Draganess said looking worried as a mother would worry over a family member. “Many thanks from me also…Gotrek wasn’t it?”
The fighting was fierce and bloody but as we backed up the corridor I got to see the full and horrifying power of a Sorcerer’s magic! Black Dragan filled the floor with a ‘Fire Cloud’ that burned the enemy but left us undamaged. Then as the enemy lined up for a charge he cast a long beam like spell called ‘Frozen Earth’ that froze some were they stood. This only made them easy targets for the Taoists ‘Poisoning’ and ‘Tao Explosion’ plus some other of the Sorcerer’s arsenal of spells. When they got to us they were nothing more than a shell of there former ferocity leaving them easy pray for are Warrior blades.
The hunt was a good one but it did not yield any thing rare or greatly expensive. But it was a successful enrolment to Rise of Honour. I learn of the many people in this guild…no not people that would be a mistake; adventures, hero’s men and women of fame and conquest people will missions and quests under there belts. All had a story to tell, exploits of character to talk or boast about. (But there story’s are for another time you are here to listen to my tale). In this guild I hunted with many different people from week to week. But I all ways tried my hardest to be there for the leaders when they called.
It was on such a call that I meet ‘BiAtChX’ (a Taoist) more I heard her she was teasing some people and mocking others, at first I thought she was from an enemy guild and that trouble was brewing. But soon realized that they all were close friends and the “jokes” were more like funny stories that had happened or exaggerated situations…or at least I hoped they were exaggerated? When she spotted me she started on me at once but always up for a joke I started back. Little did I know how far she was wiling to go and how long we both could keep this up but by the end every one was laughing like mad and I asked her to marry me…in a joking way. This was meet with a girly hysterical “NO” that was flat and to the point. So not a bad first meeting really I thought to myself. But I couldn’t help but take another long look at a girl I would be spending some time with. She was tall for a girl a bit taller than Draganess I though, her hair was long and black it shimmered in the evening sunlight and I couldn’t help but notice her curves that moved as she walked. It was after ‘checking her out’ that she told me of her husband Slifer. Just great I thought she would be married wouldn’t she and to a warrior so powerful that he could kill me without breaking a sweet. Gulp and we had gotten on so well on the hunt as well I just hoped she wouldn’t tell him of this little incident after all was Slifer the jealous type? I prayed he was not.
The next member and which was soon to become a close friend of mine was ‘bryogus’ yet another Taoist but he possessed a great wisdom and a deeper knowledge of these lands of Mir that I have yet to see equaled by anyone. I could see why Draganess needed someone of his depth in the guild. He was as tall as me but held an immense power in him greater than that of Draganess or BiAtChX and they were 2 Taoist’s of the highest level. He wore robes that had seen much travel and ware, his weapon spoke of secret and powerful refinements plus time and care. He told me of distant lands and deep dungeons that I never new existed before now. Thin in body but his muscles were tort and looked as if they had seen more than a Taoist’s fair share of use. He gave me knowledge of landscapes, monster weaknesses, and more than once saved my life from near death. He had become a tutor of sorts to me and many people who had needed help on a number of topics.
It was on a solo hunt on to the 1st floor of ‘Zuma Temple’ (a place I must say I spent a lot of time in gaining skill and combat experience) were I was told to meet a warrior that needed training one ‘WarrioOfEvil’ (I was communicated this message by magic from mind to mind a kind of ‘Guild Chat’ if you will) I must say that by now my skills had improved after all I could wield a Great Axe, the weapon I so longed for ever since my encounter with bronco, plus I now donned the same ‘Heavy Armour’. Could this be a test set by the guild? To see how I reacted or was it that I was the only hero in the area that could help this young warrior. Listen to me…”young warrior” was I so used to fighting that I have started calling others by the same nickname that I had once been called. I couldn’t help but chuckle it must be the armor everyone not in it is called young. This WarriorOfEvil was so full of energy and questions I don’t know how I answered and kept up with him. We must have traveled for days together I was showing off with my new skill ‘Flaming Sword’ he was so envious of my talents and skill that he asked me for training. This stopped me dead in my tracks. He must have thought I was insulted or about to say no for the look on his face was priceless. I couldn’t believe that I must seem so skillful and powerful I didn’t think I was? In fact the more I thought about it I couldn’t be…could I? I must admit I had learned quickly and gained up on bronco very fast but he was still far ahead as far as I knew. But all I could say to him was “Yes I can teach you but can you learn that’s the question”.
It was months later when we meet up outside ‘ZT’ for the final training. This training would give him the knowledge in how to wear Heavy Armor and to use the larger weapons like the ‘Zuma Judgment Mace’ and Great Axe. There was a Sorcerer with him I thought I recognized him from the guild possibly a hunt we had been on together? Yes how could I forget that face so menacing yet at times friendly and easy going. It was the oldest member of the guild I knew ‘Helbringer’ he used to have a reputation for fighting with jealous adventures in his younger days “They all seemed to have something to prove back then” he used to say. But why was he here now did this WarriorOfEvil need an escort? Surely not these lands that lead to ZT from Bichon held no danger to such a warrior. He had been mastering the Half Moon skill for a time now and must be very close to learning the Flaming Sword technique. In fact this hunt we were about to go upon was to get him to a skill not far from my own. But all was about to be explained as Helbringer rode up to me. “Take care of my boy Gotrek I know he is in safe hands if he is with you. But if the worst should happen and he dose not live I worn you…you best not come out of there you’re self.” He said with such an evil in his voice there was no doubt that he was not joking. “Have no fear for your son ‘Hel’ I have been in this temple many times there are no surprises that it can throw my way that I can’t handle. Besides we both have a ‘tt’ with us there will be no problems I swear”. I tried to sound as confidant as I could. After all it was no lie I had been in there many times in the past month in fact I rarely seemed to be out of it. But all the same I hoped and prayed that nothing would go wrong in there. As I finished my words they seemed to have an affect on the aging Sorcerer. “Yes you are right I worry too much and for excellence to shine I must not pamper the boy let him have some fun then ha-ha.” The laugh was a forced one but all the same he was smiling as he left. So I turned to my companion and looked him over to see if he was ready.
He was young. Then I thought he would have to be as he was the 2nd generation of hero. Short at the minute but there was time to grow. But he was built like a warrior in muscle and as sturdy a spirit you have not seen. He never seemed to fear anything. He was picking up Flame Sword well for a beginner plus he was very good at tactics. This I felt was his best quality in every battle we fought to date he knew were he needed to be, were to stand how to flank the enemy. Every weakness in them he could spot and exploit. But I began to ponder he did have a Sorcerer for a farther and a better tutor in monster weakness you would be hard to find.
“Hold it right there ‘WoE’ don’t move I’ll be right there” I shouted over the din of combat. How did it all way happen you try killing one ‘Zuma Archer’ only to find out that he has 3 friends waiting for you in the shadows out of sight. “Have I said recently how much I HATE ZUMA ARCHERS!” I couldn’t help it I always loose it when I am set upon by more than 2 archers at a time. Then again I don’t know any warrior who doesn’t hate it? “Yes you have. But don’t worry we can handle them no problem” WoE said but agreeing with me at the same time. They were killed in the end but new tactics were formed on how to handle those situations. “If we find are selves in a spot were we would have to fight 4 archers with or with out anything else we turn around a find another way round, they aren’t worth the healing pots to kill them” I told him very slowly in a very clear serious voice one with to much experience in those sort of circumstances to dismiss. But it was getting late again we would need to find a safe place to sleep or at least rest to regain are strength.
The next morning was to be the morning the morning that would see us a new hero born. It was starting to dawn on me that my armor was in need of repair as was every thing bar my weapon. We were doing very well though WoE was killing nearly as fast as me and I had begun to realize my own fighting prowess was growing. This hunt seemed to be turning out as one of the very best of my life. But all was not good news as I was saying my armor was failing and I couldn’t risk keeping my rings and necklace on much longer. Then it happened the warrior pride, valor, dedication and stubbornness in me told me to stay till the end no matter the out come. It must have been the words of encouragement and inspiration to carry on that WoE was always saying to keep the fights going that must of kept me there. “How deep are we now Gotrek” WoE said just to brake the silence. That was a good point I hadn’t even gave it a thought in days? “We must be on 3rd by now at least if not 4th” I answered. My lack of positive position didn’t seem to bother him at all “Well if I don’t get this down soon I think we should leave.” (He was on about understanding how to use 33rd level equipment at this point) He said it and looked dismayed for the first time I had ever seen. “Oh no you don’t mister. I am staying in here till you get this right in your head or die trying you get me.” I said it so there was no doubt in his mind but he still wonted to argue. “But we can’t stay I can see your items need repairing and…” He wasn’t going to get me to make him give up. “Look my friend we ARE staying till you understand I didn’t loose my eye by giving up you gets me.” I looked at him with my 1 good eye till I was sure he did.
“Round that corner, you hear them stay low im just going to look round to see how many there are” I whispered. By now it was closing in on launch time and we were both starving but a devotion to this new mission had driven us to carry on to see this through till the end. We had only just finished off 3 ‘Zuma Statues’ and a ‘Giant Rat’ but all that battling must have drawn the attention of others? This was quite puzzling as the Zuma’s were always stone till woken by the presence of living people? I didn’t have to think on this long as I looked around the corner I could see the shape of a Taoist shimmer away, as he/she teleported out of a battle with 4 ‘Zuma Guardians” a statue plus 1 archer know wonder the Taoist tt’ed I might have had to in my present condition I was no longer wearing my necklace or rings and 1 of my gloves. “So how many are there I have a need to kill Zuma’s” he said in a battle lust that warriors tend to get in. It didn’t help the matter that I was in one of those to. “My axe needs Zuma blood to but we best lure them to this corner and kill them easy than risking an open conflict.” I tried to keep a level head even though all I really wonted to do was charge head long in like a wild animal.
The battle was ferocious and savage many a time I could feel the hammer of a Zuma guardian pound on my armour each time I thought it was going to give way. But I carried on CLANG, SWOOSH, CHOP I hit and hit again but these Zuma’s seen not to notice pain. Then again they are stone for most of there ‘lives’ if you can call them that there creation would probably be a better term. “RAAR fall damn you fall” I could tell WoE was starting to feel the strain of so many days of hunting but he was young he’ll get used to it. WHAM a Zuma Guardians hammer hit me clean on the head and my helmet span off in to the dark. Well I thought dizzily that’s what I get for judging others and not paying attention isn’t it. But luckily my return hit killed one then my Half Moon blow after killed and injured another. WoE finished of the archer and moved to help me with the remaining 2 enemies. His charge in the statues back made a hole the size of my head but all it did was make it turn around and face him. Luckily all I needed was it to turn around so it wouldn’t block my axe as it aimed for its neck. WoE got a face full of stone shards as the Zuma’s head separated from its shoulders it crumpled to the floor even more life less than when it was a statue. WHAM again my attention was lost on other things and the hammer of the remaining guardian hit me this time my armour was half removed from my frame and I slumped to the floor under the weight of the Zuma’s strength. It raised it weapon once more and brought it down aiming a killing blow. This wasn’t my first encounter with death the panic that would normally take hold of people was lost to me by a fighters thrill for combat, I rolled to the side and narrowly missed the beasts hammer strike. With all its attention on me WoE had begun to lay into it with a flurry of hits and a impressive use of Flame Sword which left the Zuma crumbling as it turned to face him. I got to my feet to see WoE block a swing of the Zuma’s hammer and it block a retort of WoE’s. I moved into the combat once again trying to get my hanging armour out of the way of my movement, all it would take was it to hamper me in the battle and I would be on the floor again. As it happened the injures it had taken left it slow and falling to pieces as I moved closer with a swift and common ‘Swordsmanship’ and ‘Slaying’ combo it fell to bits in front of us both. “Looks like we will have to go back now…how can we continue with your armour gone?” WoE said half defeated by the situation. “Look did I or didn’t I say we are staying till you get this right.” I said this as I removed my armour that hung in my way leaving me with little to nothing left of it on me. “But you can go round like that you’ll be killed in seconds! These monsters will rip you apart!” disbelief was showing in his words as my armour was removed. “Look you concentrate on staying alive. By the way you ok for HP pots as long as we have them we both will be fine ok…OK.” I thought it wise to emphasize this to show we were continuing on.
“Damn why this lot all wake up I didn’t think we had set the lot off?” I said a little worriedly. The last 3 mobs had quickly used up a lot of my pots and this huge mob might just use the last up to. I was bleeding from a number of small plus a lot of not so small wounds and WoE didn’t look much better. All I could do was carry on fighting and pray that he would help me very soon I couldn’t take these for much longer. I had 5 on me 3 Zuma Statues and 2 Zuma Guardians I was hitting with my Half Moon plus the newest skill of mine to date ‘Dragon Rise’ which was a stronger version on Half Moon and it was harder to use as often. All my opponents were weakening and within a minuet 2 had fell but an archer had crept up on us and began to shoot on me. THWANG I heard it release an arrow that hit me in the shoulder. By the gods I wish my armour was on right about now I thought. HAMMER, SLASH the guardian and statues didn’t let up and both hit me hammer in the ribs and halberd in my left thigh. “ARRGH” I let out a shout of pain as I could feel my legs going from under me. I risked a glance over to WoE and could see him redouble his efforts to kill his 2 statue opponents. Right time to kick this into over drive I could feel my mind snapping under the pain but I used it to fuel my arm into swinging again and again. CRASH, SLASH, HACK, HACK my axe came down repeatedly on to the last guardian on me with a satisfying goat noise it feel. This just left me with 2 statues and an archer killing me with arrows. Once again I risked a glance over my shoulder to WoE he was fighting his last statue now but backing up as he fought to get closer to me. Very clever my young battle brother. I made to fight defensively blocking as many strikes as I could but in doing so the archer struck home with 2 more arrows in me both to the stomach. Blood my blood started to spill on the floor and I started too slipped under foot. My vision was going hazy all I was doing was blocking my opponents blows with instinct because I couldn’t see then any more. “I am here Gotrek don’t worry I’ll save you.” The words were poorly chosen indeed as they made me angered in needing to be saved but well intentioned all the same. “You can’t win your to injured save yourself go…GO! I’ll try and by you some time.” My words were foolish because as I said them I fell to the ground in a pool of my own blood. The only reason I wasn’t kill was the fall made the all the Zuma’s attacks swing were my head had once been. I drank my last healing pot wile I lay there the gods were with me as it was an extra large hp pot. With my newly attained health I shifted my position to being on my knees were I could at lest defend myself. WoE had ended the life of his last opponent and had thankfully started on mine but he was very close to death himself he was desperately trying to hold them off me and heal himself. This was not going to end like this not on my hunt it wasn’t. “HONOUR OR DEATH” I bellowed at the top of my lungs and with all my remaining strength I could muster forced the Zuma’s back with a hail of blows that could have knocked a ‘Ghoul’ back into his grave. With these extra seconds my partner healed himself and joined me at my side. But with my adrenalin rush leaving me and no armour the guardian slammed his hammer onto my injured shoulder and skimmed my head I collapsed to the floor instantly my axe clattered to the floor beside me. Groggily I reached for my town teleport and looked up at WoE to tell him to do the same. What I saw at first enraged me I could see him lower his defence to lift my axe off the floor, then I thought no he’s going to steal it the swine. But he lifted it and dropped his own ‘Ancient Blade’ to the ground and swung it at the closest Zuma and fell it in one. Then he raised it again and finished of the last, turned flung it to me and reached for his own tt. “Think I we can go now Gotrek.” Well he didn’t have to tell me twice as I sat there in blood which was my own.
COMING SOON......HOW DID YOU LOOSE YOUR EYE
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