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Prologue Continued Part 14. (Section Three)

Chimp watched the lion as it turned. The young warlock knew she only had a few moments to act before it would be ripping her apart as it had already done to the now dead Zenos at her feet, but she had no intention of dying today. Daggup raced forward confident that whatever the bear druid could do it, he would be safe. As a minion the imp has little fear of death, Chimp recalled the dry lecture Zenos had given her the day he had taught her how best to use the creature in service. The imp even if ripped apart by an enemy was easily resummoned again whole and unwounded. Chimp had asked if the imp cared about dying and the old man had laughed at her. “My dear girl, it’s a servant nothing more, but a capable and deadly one in the right hands.” She could almost hear his voice telling her what to do. Closing her eyes, she whispered the incantation she had practiced. “Dagon gratlis huraz kixta.” The affect of the spell was visually subtle, Chimp felt her skin harden and for an instant, her white skin flashed and was covered in emerald reptilian scales of demonic armor. The spell was the first one all apprentices learned, allowing some measure of physical protection. The skin hardened and toughened, causing most simple blows to be simply absorbed or at least deflected. At the same time, the warlock experienced a nether worldly boost to their constitution, if a blow did land and cause damage it would soon knit and heal within a few minutes. The magic however was simple, it would not stop a determined foe and it could not bring the warlock back from the dead. The lion had finished padding back toward her, and she could see its paws now a muddy brown red from the blood that covered the road and her robes. Chimp almost saw the creature smile as if it was going to enjoy playing with her. The lion made a quick dash forward with surprising speed and the young warlock stumbled backward trying to keep as much distance between her and those razor sharp claws. At that moment, Daggup croaked words in demonic and flipped his own clawed hands in an arcane gesture. A small ball of flame appeared before the imp before it sped away, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. The ball of flame impacted into the side of the lion and it roared out in pain, a scorched patch of fur now running down its flank.

Reaching down Chimp took the long straight dagger from the inside her now shredded leather boots. The metal felt cold in her warm hands, but she kept her eyes on both her attackers. Meesa tore another chunk of shadow from the voidwalker oblivious to what had happened around her, all of her being was focused on ripping this servant of darkness in two when suddenly it dissipated as if somebody had turned up a lamp in a darkened room. Scanning the road, she saw the dead warlock and realized they had succeeded, but the apprentice was still lose and could be dangerous. Meesa saw the imp shooting a bolt of flame at Corrbia but was too late to stop the mischievous creature from its attack but within a heartbeat, she was on top of the demon and with a raised paw, she smashed downward, nailing the imp straight down into the earth. Raising her head Meesa roared in triumph and turned her head just in time to see the dagger raised and crash down into her neck. Chimp had struck exactly where she aimed her blow, the dagger sank through the thick fur of the bear and entered its windpipe before it disappeared, totally embedded in the druid. Meesa roared in agony and attempted to turn away, but the elf stood firm and with deliberate casualness, she felt the blade being twisted around in the wound, engulfing her in maddening pain. “Die.” The girl shrieked at the bear and wrenched the dagger free. When the blade was withdrawn the affect was like a cork being removed from a bottle of sparkling wine after it had been shaken, a spray of foaming blood erupted from the wound and drenched Chimp in even more blood. Meesa staggered for only a moment before landing heavily on the ground her vision blurring, her breathing becoming shallow and exhausted. No sound escaped the druid as she passed into death; the natural order had been preserved.

Corribia watched his prey and decided he would play with her before ripping her apart. The small woman was no match for his sleek feline form; it would take maybe a single blow to send her sprawling in the dirt. The male druid had paid no attention to the imp until its flaming attack had made him divert his attack on the warlock but he watched with grim satisfaction as Meesa stomped it into a puddle of ichor and slime beneath her paws. As he moved forward again, he saw the elf strike and he knew it had been foolish to underestimate the enraged apprentice. With sadness, he watched as the majestic bear crashed to the earth, and he knew the battle was over. Corribia knew he could probably take the apprentice, but Jodaniki was gone, fled into the woods and he was Meesa’s only hope at a rebirthing. If he were felled by this girl, he would not be able to return and save the other druid. With a final feint toward the girl, he roared once and then turned fleeing back to the cover of the woods. As he moved into the tree line, Corribia dismissed his cat shape and returned to the familiar shape of the tauren. As he continued to move, he felt the burn on his side that had been delivered by the imp, his flesh was badly seared and he stifled a groan as he inspected the wound. Clenching his teeth together, he silently intoned a prayer to the earth mother and was rewarded with a feeling of soothing relief as the burn healed itself, leaving only another scar to match the countless others on his furred hide. “I will kill you.” He snapped at the warlock who could not hear him. “I will hunt you till I find you.” Corribia moved deeper into the forest and awaited the safety of nightfall.

When the young druid returned to the tree line, it was just after dusk. The road was quiet, still, the young druid could smell the forest around him, the soft earth, the fallen pine needles slowly decaying at his feet, and the wind carried the faint aroma of blood from the battle. There was a half moon in the sky, which periodically illuminated the road before the passing dark clouds obscured the scene in a blanket of darkness. The night creatures of the woods were slowly coming to life, an owl somewhere in the trees behind him took flight almost silently as it started its hunt and the young druid took a deep breath while he waited until he was sure nobody was present. He knew it was unlikely that the apprentice had remained in the area, carnage of this type would attract massive attention from any patrol she encountered or asked for help, and explaining how she had fought off her attackers and the death of the old warlock would have been difficult to cover up or explain away easily. He saw the large shape of the dead bear in the road and sensed no animals had dare approach the corpse, but it would not be long before some bold wolf took the initiative and came to feed. Standing up he was about to move into the open when he saw Jodaniki had already reached the body. Corribia was about to approach the other druid but stopped when he realized that the other tauren was weeping.

Jodaniki sat down in the road tears streaming from his large brown eyes. His flesh was still burnt and his wounds were painful. The flames had immolated him completely and burnt his pearl grey fur away leaving only a dark charred mass of cracked broken and painful flesh in its place. “The spell was too strong.” Jodaniki whispered to the corpse in front of him. “I tried.” He began, but stopped swallowing allowing his tears to now fall from his face into the dirt below. Corribia came out of the tree line slowly and made his way over to him. “I failed.” Jodaniki stated not looking up at him. “I couldn’t fight the spell.” He tried to smile through his pain but he could only manage a whimper. Corribia came and sat beside him, and leaned forward so he would be heard. “Look at me brother.” Corribia said slowly and waited for Jodaniki to turn his gaze toward him. “The human warlock is dead.” Corribia began shaking his head in a motion toward the pile behind them. “You fought as best you could, and you came back.” The warrior druid finished his sentence and allowed Jodaniki to absorb his words. “There is no dishonor in what you have done.” Corribia finished and raised his dark furred hand and motioned to the dead bear. Standing up Corribia gently stroked the blood-matted fur of the dead druid and noticed his companion had stopped crying. “We have no time for sorrow; we can save her if it is not her time.” Corribia waited for Jodaniki to gather himself together. “Yes.” Jodaniki replied. “It is not yet her time.” Working together the two druids moved the body into the woods. The ceremony was simple but it took time to prepare, and if the earthmother was willing, and the spirit of the passed druid was able then Meesa would awaken by morning, whole and recovered.

When Chimpette had arrived back at the Inn, she had concealed her entry and immediately gone to her room to wash and remove the blood from her. She didn't remember the journey back to the Inn, it had all blurred together, as if a dream. Could Zenos be dead? Chimp's mind raced. Of course he is dead, you fool, her own thoughts crashed together in her head. However, the young warlock knew it was no good grieving for Zenos, part of her wasnt even sorry he was dead, part of her however felt pain at the death of maybe somebody who understood her, or was capable of understanding her. She didnt allow herself to think anymore of the old warlock lying in the road, it was too confusing, she would sort it out in time in her own way. What she needed now was to get out of the area and away from the Inn before the druids regrouped. Crying was not going to allow her to escape. Taking off her robes and shredded clothing the young warlock had tossed them aside and washed her hair in the basin of water on the dresser that soon turned crimson from the amount of bear and human blood that literally caked her skin. Chimpette then summoned the Innkeeper and told her that she required hot water for a bath and that she would be leaving in the morning. Lying to the Innkeeper with some practiced skill, she said Zenos was delayed for a few days at the School and that she was too pack up his room and then meet him at their next stop. The Innkeeper had shrugged and nodded, enquiring if everything was ok when she noted the still raw wounds on one of Chimp’s hands from the thorns but she had simply forced a smile and said she had stumbled in the woods on the return journey. Once she was again alone, the young warlock had bathed and washed the rest of the signs of battle from her, taking time to bandage her wounds on her legs and midriff. The thorns had been sharp but they had not penetrated deeply, they would cause her discomfort for a few days, and even then, much of the damage had been repaired by her use of the demon armor spell. She had eaten in her room alone that evening and contemplated her next move over the simple meal of venison and ale she had ordered. Zenos’s last words had stuck in her mind all the way back to the Inn. “Strathlohome, Phoenix.” He had said it with such force, such meaning that she could not be confused. Whatever the last commands of the dying warlock had been, they were important if mysterious. Chimp had decided that whatever the path before her, it was time to leave the Inn and Strathlohome was a good a place as any to start looking for meaning in the words of the old warlock. Perhaps, she began to consider, this Phoenix was also a warlock who knew something of importance, or another member of the burning blade cult that had first introduced her to demonology so long ago. It did not matter though; Chimp knew she would find out in time. The last thing she did before she settled down to sleep, after securing the door and ensuring a spell was placed on the window in case the druids returned was to clean the dagger she had used to kill the druid.

Chimpette examined the dagger, holding it up to the light and smiling at its perfect form. The blade was over nine inches long and thin, a stabbing weapon it had been designed to strike once and kill. The blade itself was unremarkable but its hilt had been sculptured in the form of a snake, the long body was the handle and the pommel formed the snakes mouth, open as if it was ready to strike, all cast in some beautiful silvery metal which she had yet to discover a name for. The blade had been a gift from a lover many years before; he had given it to her the first night they had spent together on Sunfire Isle far away to the north. “To protect your beauty if I am ever far from you.” He had cooed softly in her ear when he pressed the hilt into her had. Chimp often thought of the young man whenever she had to clean the blade. He had been strong, muscular from the work he did as a stonemasons apprentice but his skin was soft still youthful, however his eager hands had been rough, starting to callous from working with the stone, a strange sensation which had caused her to shiver in anticipation at his touch, soft but rough. She remembered their final night together as they lay in her bed. She had put her head on his smooth chest and waited for his breathing to become deep and regular before she drew the blade and struck down as Qlon, her new lover had taught her. The young stonemason had not moved, not even called out or opened his eyes, his last breath had shuddered in his chest and he became still. “It’s a shame you never told me you were married.” She had whispered as she put her head back down on his abdomen and kissed him gently, softly allowing her lips to linger on his still warm body for a moment. Her new lover Qlon was much more intriguing anyway, she had decided at the time. Chimp smiled at the memory and finishing cleaning the blade as she replaced it in its sheath and slipped it beneath her pillow.

Authors Notes. Well to finish the introduction segement, this where we leave the humans and elves for now. I tried to make Joda a little more human in emotion, showing some pain at the loss of Meesa, but I dont think the work does it justice yet. I need to go back and do a more indepth study of Meesa and Joda and put some more traits, or scenes with them before the attack to build his character in the work. (This will be done overtime as I go back and add parts to enrich the story)

Chimp is shown here in two ways, the first is the young fool, she had every chance to escape and has, but why return to the Inn and stay. She is either foolish or brave? or perhaps she is more confident in her abiltiies that was previously thought. I am unsure as yet. I want her to be powerful, strong and also sexy as a female lead. But I dont want her to be a "Mary Sue" character who goes from the weak little girl into hero of renknown. Chimps life before magic is just starting to be introduced here. She is young, but there is something darker about her. The entire idea is developing that she was already a bit nutso before she met Zenos, or even before she studied demonology. She doesnt like being betrayed however, and the simple death of her first lover proves, its ok for her to be that way, but if the man she is with dares do it... then slash! dead. I like that about the character, the black widow almost element, it makes her more attractive and forbidden, almost risky to be with.