CHAPTER 5: Losnyr's Arrival

 

      Losnyr arrived in a recently abandoned campground.  He saw remains of a

recently put out fire, and evidence indicating about 4 tents were set up not

too long ago.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two glowing blue eyes. 

When he looked at them, they closed again.  He tried to sense life in that

direction, and while he did sense something humanoid, he could not pinpoint

their location; the trees, vines, and grass were clouding his senses.

      Suddenly he felt a great power being materializing in front of him.  There

appeared a familiar-looking man, with long brown hair, wearing a very well

made royal blue cape with gleaming gold lining.  He wore a black tabard, and

carried a spear that looked remarkably like the Oceanoid Spear; only it had

a large menacing curved blade on the end of it.  Losnyr recognized the man

immediately as Deranral, floating 3 feet above the ground and surrounded by

an aura of power.

      "Losnyr Karidyne." he said,  "I felt your presence as soon as you entered. 

Where have you been all these years?"

      Losnyr was frozen in terror.

      Deranral continued, "I sense by your expression that you already know what

is going on.  In your absence I have been chosen as the next Mauriac."

      "Deranral!"  Losnyr shouted. "Stop what you are doing!  You will destroy

Alteria, and yourse..."  Losnyr noticed the blue eyes again in the corner of

his eye, but his priorities were elsewhere.

      "HA!  Your outbursts of jealousy reveal that your mind is not open enough

to realize my dream.  I am going to remove the very need for a Mauriac; I am

going to destroy all the evil that we are forced to protect Alteria from.  I

suggest you curb your envy and go on with your life, or I could ask you only

once to join me in my crusade.  But if you stand against me, I will have no

choice but to rid Alteria's side of yet another thorn.  If anyone can stop

me, it certainly is not you."

      Losnyr was getting angry.  "Can't you see the Oceanoid spear, the will of

the planet, does not agree with what you are doing?  It is my duty as a

Mauriac to..."

      He was interrupted, as Deranral, left hand extended, fired a powerful blast

of superheated water at him.  His life flashed before his eyes.  Within the

confusion, he noticed the blue eyes flicker and disappear.

      Suddenly someone teleported in front of him, in between himself and

Deranral's magic.  The blast hit whoever it was, and exploded in a cloud of

steam.

      "Hmm."  Deranral frowned.  "Whom which was once a suicidal friend of yours

is now dust.  It will not save you though."  He delicately raised his left

hand to charge up another spell, when he stopped.  As the cloud of steam in

front of Losnyr faded, a figure beneath it was becoming clear; a tall

figure, clearly standing upright as if the blast did not affect them at all.

 

 

CHAPTER 6:  Unexpected help

 

      Finally the figure became clear... at least from Losnyr's point of view. 

All he could see was the back... and he saw a very tall, slender man wearing

what looked like black cape.  His hair was brought back into a rather long

ponytail.

      The man tilted his head, and Losnyr saw his face.  The glowing blue eyes,

the scruffy black stubble, the widow’s peak... Losnyr recognized all of them

to belong to Jedd Kaxan.  As Losnyr knew it, he was the most powerful wizard

on Flaerie... and also the greatest thief.  He remembered Kaytosi talk of

him...

      "Jedd is a man who truly fights on the side of good, but seemingly for no

purpose.  But he defidently can be trusted; he has saved Flaerie from

destruction on several occasions.  He may seem arrogant at first, but that

is just the way he likes to act."

      Jedd spoke.  "Looks like we got ourselves an unwelcome visitor, eh?  Also

looks like you might need a little help."

      Deranral sneered at this intruder.  "Fool!  My business with the kid has

nothing to do with you.  No matter, you just carved your own tombstone,

whomever you may be."

      Jedd didn't seem impressed.  "Heh.  Cute.  You have quite a way with

words... now then, how do you cast your spells?  Isn't it like this?"  Jedd

daintily, yet mockingly, brought up his left hand in the same manner

Deranral had, and then quickly forced it into Deranral’s direction.  A blast

much like Deranral's came out, only the boiling hot water in it was black

instead of clear.

      Losnyr recalled one of the reasons WHY Jedd was the most powerful wizard on

Flaerie.  As he knew it, Jedd could absorb any magic by crossing his arms

outward in front of his face, and setting up an aura of some kind.  The

ability was little understood by even the greatest wizards, not even Kaytosi

could fathom how it was done.  And, as Losnyr just witnessed, Jedd could

cast the absorbed magic again.  Jedd used Dark Magic, which on Flaerie was

considered neither good nor evil, just as Death meant in the Tarot.

      Deranral tried to dodge the blast, and he nearly did, but part of it caught

his right arm, and then continued into a tree on the horizon.  With an

explosion of heat and steam, the tree burst into splinters, and was no more.

      Deranral grasped his burnt, scarred arm in pain.  "A thief, is it?  I know

not where you get your tricks..." Deranral taunted, "...but I am sorry to

say that that was your last."  (Editors Note:  Flaerie is a nexus of magic,

thieves are known to have several enigmatic abilities, which include dodging

magic spells and even reflecting them back to the caster.  Doing this does

require magical items however.)  Deranral again raised his left arm, and

started gathering energy, more magic than Losnyr had ever sensed.  Tingles

went up his spine.

      Jedd tilted his head to face Losnyr.  "Captain speedy over there might be a

while. Until then, why not we make our introductions?  The name's Jedd C.

Kaxan.  Can I assume by your getup that you are a Mauriac?"

      Losnyr started to respond, until he saw Deranral form all of his gathered

energy into a perfect hovering sphere, about a meter in diameter.  Losnyr's

eyes widened.

      Jedd smirked.  "Hehe, I see that he's about done... alrighty."

      Suddenly Jedd was gone.  And then he was behind Deranral, floating himself

to be level with him.  Jedd's right boot swiftly rammed itself into

Deranral's behind with anatomical precision.  Deranral, screaming in agony,

lost control of his attack, which bounded itself up into the air.

      Jedd pointed his left index finger at the ball of pure water magic. 

"Faxlz," he said, almost routinely.  (Editor's note:  Faxlz, pronounced

"falls" is a dark magic spell, untranslated from the original grimoire.  As

with all such spells, the x's are silent.)  An EXTREMELY powerful stream of

dark magic shot out of his hand and immediately hit the ball, vaporizing it.

      Deranral turned to face Jedd.  To Jedd's surprise, a smile remained on his

face.  "Well done," he said.  "I am defeated... but the war is not over

yet."  Deranral raised his spear.  A blue light surrounded him, and he was

gone.

      Jedd shrugged, glided himself forward, and then gracefully landed himself

in front of Losnyr.

      Losnyr, in the midst of a more peaceful setting, managed to get some words

out.  "Why are you helping me?"

      Jedd's smile faded.  With a chortle, he burst out in laughter.

 

CHAPTER 7: Assassin identified

 

      Frustration took over.  "What's so funny?!"  Losnyr shouted.

      "Heh, I just saved your ass.  I just thought it funny how some of you

people would say 'why' before they say 'thanks'."

      "Enough with the wisecracks.  How the hell did you know about this, and how

did you spy on me thousands of years into the future?  I saw your eyes

there."

      Jedd rubbed his stubble for a second.  "Oh yeah!  I remember that... see, a

few months ago I was visiting my good friend Mortimer in his tower... Oh! 

You probably have heard of him... as the Lord of the Night."

      Kaytosi had told Losnyr about him too.  'The Lord of the Night has been

around Flaerie for thousands of years.  He lives in a tower that acts as a

giant magical satellite... he can communicate with Gods and other deities. 

He is very wise, and has aided me many times on my travels to Flaerie. 

Despite his... eccentricity... he is a wealth of information, and if you

ever meet him, which I am certain that you will, you would do well to heed

his advice.'

      "Hello?!  Are you listening?"  Jedd was waving his hand in front of

Losnyr's face.

"Anyways, he told me he sensed something very wrong on the planet of

Alteria.  I was kinda worried, since one of the Mauriacs had helped me quite

a few times.  LotN told me that Alteria would be destroyed if history did

not change!  He then brought his senses deeper into the future, and found

when you arrived there.  So I decided to do a little astral eavesdropping,

hope you don't mind."

      Losnyr nodded.  "Well, I am not the Mauriac who helpe..."

      Jedd snickered. "Yeah, the other one was a bit taller.  You talk funny

too."

      Losnyr ignored the last comment.  "Well, the one who helped you is dead. 

He was assassinated by someone hired by Deranral."

      Jedd's light expression dramatically changed to a serious one.  "WHAT?!" 

he said.  A few seconds passed, and he seemed to calm down.  But a look of

seriousness was still on his face.  "By whom?"

      Losnyr shook his head.  "I don't know."  Then he remembered the picture

Deranral gave him.  "But I do have this!"  he pulled it out of his pouch,

and gave it to Jedd.

      Upon looking at the picture, Jedd's expression froze.  A look of

disappointment crossed his face, which was now resting on his hand.

      "Dammit, brother," he said, "what the hell did you do THIS time?"  he

grabbed Losnyr's arm. "C'mon, junior, we're going to the Bounty Hunter's

guild."

      "But I..." Losnyr began, but he was too late, Jedd had already cast the

spell, and they were gone.

 

 

CHAPTER 8:  Family Values

 

      Losnyr and Jedd materialized in the Bounty Hunter's Guild in the city of

Cope.  Cope was the capital of Flaerie, and its size showed it.  Sunlight

gleamed golden against the gigantic marble buildings, towering above the

crowded streets, which were loaded with vendors of all so...

      Losnyr's attention was diverted as Jedd grabbed his arm and pulled him into

a large dark building.

      As they entered the lobby of the Bounty Hunter's Guild of Flaerie, Losnyr

asked Jedd, "You still haven't answered my question.  Why are you helping

me?"

      "Cause it's fun," answered Jedd, almost routinely.  He turned toward a

nicely dressed lady at the counter.  "Excuse me.  Do you know where Kennen

is?"

      The lady stared at a small, strangely shaped box in front of her.  Strange

clicking noises sounded in the area around her lap.  "He's on a job, and, it

looks like he's due back any minute.  Why don't you have a seat?"

      Jedd motioned toward a group of odd-looking chairs, and started walking

towards them.

      Losnyr ran in front of him.  "What's going on?  Why are we here?"

      A strange sound, what sounded like an explosion, only backwards, came from

behind him.  Out of a door marked with Flaerien runes, came a large,

extremely muscular man in dark, spiked armour.  Losnyr immediately

recognized him as the man in the picture, the assassin of Kaytosi.

      Losnyr readied a fireball, and prepared himself for combat.  He felt Jedd's

arm on his shoulder.  "Don't worry," said Jedd, "I'll handle this."

      The dark knight started walking toward the counter, then turned and saw

Jedd.  The tough, uncaring look on his face turned into one of surprise.  He

smiled.  "Hey Jedd!" he said, "What are you doing..." he was interrupted, as

Jedd, walking swiftly towards him, whapped him across the temple with his

right hand.

      "Kennen, you moron." said Jedd.

      The dark knight identified as Kennen staggered backwards.  "Wha... what was

that for?" he said.

      Jedd shook his head.  "Remember a guy named Mauriac?  He helped us out a

few years ago?"

      Kennen looked confused.

      "In the fight against Zeteginara?"  Jedd continued, with a sarcastic tone

to his voice.  "The water wizard?"

      Kennen's face enlightened with realization.  "Oh yeah!  The blue guy!"

      Jedd's hand came up again, and caught Kennen's head, again.

      "Hey!  Knock it off!" yelped Kennen, angrily.

      "Oooh, you would not BELIEVE how close I am to doing that."  said Jedd. 

"Yeah, the blue guy.  The same one you killed a few weeks ago, idiot!"

      Kennen thought for a second.  "Oh... yeah... I think I remember... I was

approached by... you're serious?"

      Jedd shook his head again.  Then he pointed toward Losnyr.  "See him?  He's

'the blue guy's' apprentice," said Jedd, mimicking Kennen's voice in the

middle of his sentence, "And guess what?  You are going to take him to see

Mort, so he can revive his master."

      Kennen's face became desperate.  "But I've got things to do!  I'm in the

middle of a job!"

      Jedd pointed down at Kennen's face, using his slight advantage in height to

intimidate his brother.  "This is your mess, you clean it up!"  He then

lifted up his left hand, and was gone in a flash of black light.

      Kennen Kaxan sighed, and slowly walked toward Losnyr.  "Hey... the name's

Kennen... sorry about your master, I had no idea... the guy who laid the

bounty didn't tell me who it was.  I usually put my friends above my job,

and I owed your master... I'm sorry."

      Losnyr paused in thought.  "It's not your fault," he finally said, "You

were manipulated by Deranral."

      Kennen stared at him.  "Who?"

      Losnyr let out a deep, sigh of saddened frustration.  "Come on," he said,

"I'll explain it to you on the way."

 

 

 

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