The Fable of the Lost Heroes - The Forest of Tears

Aurora watched as Sammus said something both brave and stupid, and yet, more appealing than the rest of the group. Silence was an unusual thing for her, living with a family of mostly women, and it unsettled her greatly.

If what Theresa said was true, and something in Aurora's mind told her it was, then she would follow the bizarre, murky instructions left by the Seeress before she disappeared.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but as fun as it has been here around this fire, I say we move on. No one is getting home from here. Or anything else. And while it might seem safe, it's the places that seem the most invulnerable, that turn out to be the death traps." She said to the wind, to no-one in particular. She swung her hammer over her shoulder and locked it into place upon it's straps.

She wasn't going to die here. And the idea of having a destiny, a purpose, excited her. She moved up ahead of Sammus, turned her head and smiled at him.

❦

Theresa felt a shudder of panic rippled through her as her spirit was ripped from her body and shown a shred of future that lay before her Heroes. Her eyes widened as she returned to the camp, a faint mist coiling around her robes.

"Heroes, be warned. This part of the Lacrimis is no longer safe, an evil presence approaches. And without one another's help, you are not yet strong enough to defeat it.

If you wish to leave, then do so. If you wish to stay, you are welcome. But make the decision now, for if the group fractures, then some will die now and the others will perish soon after. Make the choice wisely Heroes, while you may believe each of your skills are strong enough on your own, your downfall will be a skill another has, that if you separate, you will have lost."

And with those words, she was once again, gone in the wind.

Sammus heard some of them talking behind him and stopped. Suddenly one of them, a female passed him and flashed a smile, "My name is Sammus" he said awkwardly...

Just then Theresa appeared again and warned of the great evil and that it having taken hold of this part of the forest. Sammus was uneasy as she vanished again, but he knew this was there destiny and surely this would prove to everyone that they had their part to play...

The camp fire light began to dim... the air turned cold. A thick black fog began to take place around them, and a chilling dark voice resounded through the trees "Youuuu haaave coooommee a looong wayyyy" it stops for a moment. Suddenly you begin to feel something moving about the trees, it's huge, and fluid, you know this.. but you can't see it...

"Youuuu arrreee differeeeeeent...." it speaks sinisterly to you all, "Maaaaagicalll, ssssstrooong, aaaaagiiiile.".

Suddenly you feel more people around you, whatever is moving about the trees has brought something else with it.

"Youuuu are the onessss ssssspoken of in legendsssss, I can't let you liiiiiive.". It finishes it's taunt and suddenly you feel it no more... but it has left behind something...

Suddenly from the shadows half-snake half-human creatures appear, they wield weapons and you hear the echoing voice of the evil that was just here speak to you,

"You will not stop meeeee"

The snake-people begin their assault upon you

Sammus felt weakened by the black fog, and he withdrew his bow and an arrow... Something was around them, and it was huge. It was evil. It was what they were brought here to stop.

But Sammus couldn't see it. He could only feel it.. Circling them, taunting evilly. Suddenly the black fog cleared and camp fire light went back to normal but now they were encircled by creatures he'd never seen or heard of before... Sammus pulled his bow back and let it fly straight into the heart of one of the creatures.

"Well, there's no helping it," Jayren muttered, and he stood up to face the onslaught of the creatures advancing. He clasped his hands and muttered a string of words unintelligible to those not versed in magic and waved his hands around his body in a circle. The ground below him began to glow and a glyph was now etched in the dirt, one for defense that would shield him from physical attack and some weaker spells. He could now concentrate more on magic without having to worry about whether he was about to be skewered.

(I posted last, nothing I can do from that angle. Could try a kick in the pants to whoever else needs to post if you want.)

[I've said this once, but i'll say it again. Regretfully, i must withdraw. My will has been lost. ]

((I'm so sorry. I went down the beach and didn't know I wouldn't be able to use the internet. I can post unless you just want to leave this))