Enough explanation. Robert immediately turns his head again and sees Zal’fira, the zapped-out necromancess stands unmoving right where she is. All of a sudden, black blood comes gushing from the wounds all over her body like a balloon punctured in several places at the same time.
And she falls. Dead, by the looks of it.
Then Robert turns to look at his partners. Carolyn is unconscious. Her face turns greenish pale. Andreas comes near Carolyn to try and cure her – again.
‘W-what happened? Is the fight over? Did we win?’
It’s Iris’ voice. Robert sees her, struggling to stand up. Her body is not petrified anymore. Her energy restores very quickly, being an elf. She keeps on babbling as though she just experienced a time lapse only.
‘Ariel! Ariel! Wake up!’ Iris shouts as she comes near Chris.
Chris gets up and about with a yawn, saying, ‘Awww, Iris, is it morning already?’ He stretches his hands lazily. Then suddenly, Chris points upwards and shouts,
‘WATCH OUT!’
Soon enough, Omegron, the huge black dragon flies into the crater. He looks around and finds his master, Zal’fira lying lifeless near the twelve cases. Omegron comes near, and after taking a good look he roars in his wrath and agony. He shoots a whipping jet-black fog around him to eliminate all his enemies. Robert and his friends successfully move far away from the fog, with Chris carrying his cousin Carolyn to safety.
Keep away from the fog! It dissolves flesh!
It’s Algaban’s voice this time. Robert sees the ancient fire dragon coming in. She immediately shoots Dragon Fireblast towards the mist, and a deafening roar comes from inside it. A second later, Omegron comes out from the mist, charging towards the hunters wildly in a desperate attack. He’s been hurt, bad, make no mistake about it. His mouth is bulging, as though he’s carrying something inside it.
To prevent Omegron trampling his partners, Robert yells to Algaban, ‘Lift me! Throw me to him!’
Algaban, not having time to argue with Robert who already comes between her and Omegron immediately lowers her head. Then, Robert leaps to the top of Algaban’s beak with agile. As Robert’s feet touch Algaban’s beak, the dragon raises her head. And using the power from the rising head motion, Robert leaps from Algaban like a spring and flies towards Omegron with very high speed.
Omegron’s bulging mouth gives Robert advantage to come above his head without being hurt by the Dark Rayblast, and as Robert is in his desired position, he somersaults with the Sleeping Dragon Curls Up skill and then dives with Dragon Hammering Down. He thrusts his saber Grimlock to one target – Omegron’s weakest spot.
SPLATTT!!!!
Black blood comes gushing from Omegron’s left eye as Robert’s Grimlock finds its way in there. For Omegron, Robert’s sword is no more harmful than a needle that damaged your eye only, not long enough to reach your brain or go through your eyeball. But the pain is extreme, and that makes Omegron shake his head violently. Three shakes from side-to-side are enough to throw Robert and Grimlock saber far away. Robert still looks calm although very fatigued as he lands on a safer distance from Omegron and the black fog. He falls on his knees when he feels pain from his wounds again.
Omegron’s despair is now complete. He has lost his master, some of his scales, and now his left eye. The dark ancient flaps his enormous wings, and floats upwards to escape through the crater.
Iris reacts on seeing this, conjuring her guardian spirit, ‘An Eshmyria Aschi!’
As Eshmyria comes in Iris’ front, Iris casts another spell, ‘Raduyev Eshmyriad!’
Not like the usual Typhoon spell, Eshmyria begins to spin around, making a whirlwind that covers her whole body. As Eshmyria is a spirit with her own intelligence, she understands Iris’ intentions and makes variations accordingly.
Eshmyria’s Typhoon immediately absorbs the black corrosive fog looming closer to the hunters. The process is about a second or two, and as soon as it’s done, the Wind Spirit leaps with the blackened whirlwind, and shoots the whirlwind towards Omegron.
Iris maintains her mind contact with Eshmyria, saying, ‘You think I’ll let you go without a farewell gift? Think again. Taste your own poison, Omegron.’
The heavily wounded Omegron can’t fly fast, so the whirlwind hits him and sends him spinning in mid-air. Omegron grunts loudly as the poisoned wind begins to melt his outer skin and scales. The black dragon struggles hard and finally manages to get out from the whirlwind before the damages he received become permanent and fatal.
Omegron flees from there; his animal instinct alerted him that survival comes first, no need to be brave if you’ll end up dead. So he flies farther and farther away, defeated and outnumbered.
Robert is relieved at last. We’ve won, he thinks. But Carol...
Not only Carol, Algaban also loses her balance and collapses. She also suffers heavy wounds on her neck, body and legs from her fight with Omegron. She was losing, actually, but Omegron suddenly turned away from their fight when he lost his spirit link with Zal’fira.
Then Chiel comes from the caverns, immediately tending to Carolyn, its master. Looks like it was also losing in her fight against Ferre the luchi, and when Ferre learned about Zal’fira’s death it fled at once.
Robert is startled.
Oh, darn! Zal’fira!
He looks at the area once covered with black fog and realizes that...
Her body’s gone! No wonder Omegron’s mouth was bulging! He must’ve taken her and the Viper Cane away!
I’m afraid we haven’t seen the last of her, little friend. When we’re dealing with necromancers, we must always expect the unexpected. Algaban warns Robert about this by telepathy.
You’re right, Ancient One. I hope we don’t stumble into her ever again.
If, only if she gives up the idea of uniting the twelve Adair’s Arsenal again. And if we fight her again, we’ll be ready then. Talk about readiness, Grimlock has chosen you, Robert. Yes, it’s the red saber you’re holding.
Robert takes a good look at the saber*) he’s holding. There’s a dragon’s head carved on its hilt. Its blade is crystallite red, although it’s made entirely of ruby. All of all, the saber looks like a fire dragon belching fire from its mouth. Then Algaban goes on.
(* Saber = A type of Broadsword with curved edges and broad blade. Very powerful in slashing yet lacks accuracy in thrusting.
The blade is named after its maker, the orc hero Grimlock who befriended a fire dragon, Krvjakk. Together they adventured and helped secure the newly built Orcish Stronghold in Gremion, and made them a legend. Then the Archdevil Arachus and the forces of darkness invaded Gremion to make the orcs their subordinates, but Grimlock fought them. Arachus defeated Grimlock, the orc hero escaped with his life but his dragon, Krvjakk was killed. Burned with vengeance, Grimlock swore to annihilate Arachus. He made an orcish saber with the flesh, blood and bones of Krvjakk with the help of orc shamans, and again he attacked Arachus. Arachus killed Grimlock, but suffered heavy wounds from the ultra-powerful attacks by Grimlock’s saber. Impressed by its power, Arachus seized the saber and presented it to Sodomos, thus it became one of the Twelve Godly Dark Weapons – or Adair’s Arsenal.
So, given the background of this weapon, it’s now up to you to use it or seal it again here. Mind you, it’s a dark weapon, so it may offend your ‘moralities’.
Robert replies in his mind. As far as I know, no matter if it’s a dark or light weapon, as long as its master has a pure heart, he will use the weapon for good purposes. An evil master uses the weapon for evil. So, we can only determine the weapon is good or evil from the results of its usage, not the element of its making. Good and evil come from the heart, not from the weapon.
Wise thinking, Robert, says Algaban. I’m now relieved that Grimlock is in good hands now. And thank you for helping me defend the Arsenal. Now shall we talk to the others?
By all means.
Algaban and Robert come near Andreas, Iris and Christopher who are busy taking care of Carolyn. Algaban says to Andreas,
‘How’s your friend, Carolyn doing?’
‘Not good, Ancient One,’ replies Andreas. ‘She is poisoned with a slow-working poison from the Viper Cane, and none of my antidotes seems to work on her.’
‘Tell me her symptoms.’
‘Her skin is greenish pale, her teeth and nails are blackened, and she vomits black blood every now and then.’
Algaban sounds surprised, ‘It’s the Ojuhvani Poison! No common antidote can cure it! Go to Valanis, talk to the Holy Pope and ask her for Jingver Roots *) and water from the spring of Ivel’thais! Mix two ounces of ground Jingver Roots and a quart of spring water with an ounce each of Mandrake Roots, garlic and Nightshade Mushroom. Give it to her every three hours until her green skin turns back to normal, and she’ll be out of danger.
(* Jingver Roots = Ginseng Roots from the Wushu Empire.
Go! Make haste! Take her to Valanis! I see her Lucky Charm has slowed the effect down, but now she has only five days to live! Go now!’
Iris responds, ‘Yes, I’ll bring her with my horse Neshmyr’damar. My Thyrinian horse can cover the distance within three or four days in full speed and mountains don’t tire it, so you guys can come after me and make sure that Carol has received her first aid. Off I go now!’
Iris immediately picks Carolyn up, carries the sorceress on her lap, and darts away at once, and followed by Chiel the micha. Seeing that, Andreas says, ‘Yes, there’s no time to lose! We must go after Iris to make sure Carolyn is treated! C’mon, Robert, Chris!’
Chris says, ‘Let’s go! Oh yeah, Algaban, thanks for the tip. It might save my cousin’s life.’
But Algaban’s response is different than desired. ‘Wait! Robert, you stay here. Let your friends go first.’
Robert is confused, ‘Lo? For what, Ancient One?’
Algaban answers, ‘For two reasons. First one, you are wounded and weak. Andreas and Christopher are still quite healthy, so you will slow them down although you ride a horse. You must be here so we can heal each other as we both use fire aura. The second one, as I said before, I must prepare you, wielder of Grimlock to face your worst enemies in the future. I see your sword skills need polishing. I can improve them with my own variants and train you further to improve your power and aura.”
Robert lets out a sigh, ‘Looks like I don’t have a choice, eh? Andre, Chris, you two go and look after Carol. Stay in Valanis, I’ll catch you guys later after my training here is done.’
‘Ah, a parting at last...,’ says Andreas with a sigh. ‘Hope we can be together again soon. Good luck with your training.’
‘And pray for Carol’s recovery, Rob. We’ll wait for you in the Pope’s place,’ says Christopher.
‘Thanks, guys. I know I can count on you,’ says Robert with tears in his eyes. ‘We’ll be hunting together again, soon.’
After saying that, Andreas and Christopher turn and go at once to Valanis. They take a final glance at Robert and his new tutor, Algaban and rush out from Algaban’s nest. Carolyn, get well soon.
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