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"There's not enough room in this forum for the two of us." FM slammed his emptied whisky glass down on the wooden counter. "Step outside, Grix......"
Grix eyed FM carefully. They'd known each other for a long time, but things had been gettin' a little strained lately."
"What's this about, FM," he demanded, making his way through the packed but hushed saloon and pushing the swinging doors outwards as he stepped onto the dusty ground outside.
"Well," replied FM, pushing open the doors again and following Grix outside into the hot, dry air, "You've bushwhacked one of my topics just one time too many. It's time we had this out. Mano a Mano. Poster to Poster."
Grix paused in his stride to think of a witty retort about FM's last comment, then decided that now was probably not the time.
"So, what's it to be? 10 paces, turn and fire?" asked Grix, making sure his gunbelt was fastened properly.
"You know me better than that, Grix. 30 paces." FM checked his gunbelt. The Smith and Wesson 6-shot revolver hung loosely at his right hip.
They stood back to back under the glare of the midday sun, and started to count.....
1....2....3....
The occupants of the saloon were packing the windows trying to get a glimpse of the showdown outside. This was unheard of. The last shootout in the town of Last Chance Reserve had been quite a time ago, when the Er-no posse had cleaned out the Desperate Dans, but this was different. Two equally matched opponents were about to face off.
Insane Bartender was going even more nuts behind the saloon's counter because he was losing good sales whilst all this was going on.
Outside, the count was at 25.... as FM glanced to his right and saw PB on the roof of the Red Splat Hotel and Boarding House, shotgun at hand. PB nodded with a knowing look. FM nodded back.
The count was 26.... as Grix looked across to the SR Saddlery, where he spied Sniper with his trusty Winchester Rifle. Grix gave a brief nod. Sniper returned it.
27....28...29..
Dust whirled up as both men spun to face each other. The blast of PB's shotgun firing both barrels broke the deafening silence that preceeded it, and a cloud of sand flew up at Grix's feet as the buckshot ploughed into the ground.
Grix drew his gun and took aim, FM was still drawing his because he was left handed and his belt was on the wrong way, Sniper fired his rifle, and there was a sharp report, then a clatter as PB dropped his shotgun and swandived off the roof of the hotel and landed in a horse trough.
FM grappled with his pistol, it had snagged in the holster, and he reminded himself to be more careful where he left his chewing gum.
Grix took pity. (No he didn't). Grix fired his gun. Fortunately, FM and done his research and Grix's eyesight wasn't as good as it should have been, and at 30 paces it was like trying to read a Wanted Poster through a mirage. Grix's first bullet flew out of town faster than a newbie Gameaday winner. He wasn't sure if he had hit FM or not, but then he heard FM pull back the hammer of his Smith and Wesson with a
*click*
Grix eyed FM carefully. They'd known each other for a long time, but things had been gettin' a little strained lately."
"What's this about, FM," he demanded, making his way through the packed but hushed saloon and pushing the swinging doors outwards as he stepped onto the dusty ground outside.
"Well," replied FM, pushing open the doors again and following Grix outside into the hot, dry air, "You've bushwhacked one of my topics just one time too many. It's time we had this out. Mano a Mano. Poster to Poster."
Grix paused in his stride to think of a witty retort about FM's last comment, then decided that now was probably not the time.
"So, what's it to be? 10 paces, turn and fire?" asked Grix, making sure his gunbelt was fastened properly.
"You know me better than that, Grix. 30 paces." FM checked his gunbelt. The Smith and Wesson 6-shot revolver hung loosely at his right hip.
They stood back to back under the glare of the midday sun, and started to count.....
1....2....3....
The occupants of the saloon were packing the windows trying to get a glimpse of the showdown outside. This was unheard of. The last shootout in the town of Last Chance Reserve had been quite a time ago, when the Er-no posse had cleaned out the Desperate Dans, but this was different. Two equally matched opponents were about to face off.
Insane Bartender was going even more nuts behind the saloon's counter because he was losing good sales whilst all this was going on.
Outside, the count was at 25.... as FM glanced to his right and saw PB on the roof of the Red Splat Hotel and Boarding House, shotgun at hand. PB nodded with a knowing look. FM nodded back.
The count was 26.... as Grix looked across to the SR Saddlery, where he spied Sniper with his trusty Winchester Rifle. Grix gave a brief nod. Sniper returned it.
27....28...29..
Dust whirled up as both men spun to face each other. The blast of PB's shotgun firing both barrels broke the deafening silence that preceeded it, and a cloud of sand flew up at Grix's feet as the buckshot ploughed into the ground.
Grix drew his gun and took aim, FM was still drawing his because he was left handed and his belt was on the wrong way, Sniper fired his rifle, and there was a sharp report, then a clatter as PB dropped his shotgun and swandived off the roof of the hotel and landed in a horse trough.
FM grappled with his pistol, it had snagged in the holster, and he reminded himself to be more careful where he left his chewing gum.
Grix took pity. (No he didn't). Grix fired his gun. Fortunately, FM and done his research and Grix's eyesight wasn't as good as it should have been, and at 30 paces it was like trying to read a Wanted Poster through a mirage. Grix's first bullet flew out of town faster than a newbie Gameaday winner. He wasn't sure if he had hit FM or not, but then he heard FM pull back the hammer of his Smith and Wesson with a
*click*
Page:
Ant woke up, and looked around. All he could remember was....going in the temple, then it started shaking, and he was slammed head first into a wall. The temple was quite large, and was full of strange, wonderful items.
Ant got up, and walked around. There things that looked like ornaments, and some sort of large machine that rather reminded him of a Citroen Dolly. Ant looked away in disgust.
Ant also found lots of potions. He looked at one of them, which had a dark red liquid inside. On it, it said "Eutopia". He looked at another, a dark blue this time. It said, "Blosad". Ant had no idea what this meant.
Ant became tired of looking at these things, and began to think about getting out, so he could help Grix and FM in....whatever they were supposed to be doing.
As he looked for an exit, he came across a chair, looking exactly like the torture chair the old Indian was sitting on.
Ant suddenly realised that someone was on the chair. "H..he..hello?" Ant said timidly.
"Why hello, Coolio Santos."
The voice sounded strangely familiar...
Then, the chair swiveled around. "How nice of you to join me."
Ant couldn't believe who was sitting in front of him. It was...
Ant got up, and walked around. There things that looked like ornaments, and some sort of large machine that rather reminded him of a Citroen Dolly. Ant looked away in disgust.
Ant also found lots of potions. He looked at one of them, which had a dark red liquid inside. On it, it said "Eutopia". He looked at another, a dark blue this time. It said, "Blosad". Ant had no idea what this meant.
Ant became tired of looking at these things, and began to think about getting out, so he could help Grix and FM in....whatever they were supposed to be doing.
As he looked for an exit, he came across a chair, looking exactly like the torture chair the old Indian was sitting on.
Ant suddenly realised that someone was on the chair. "H..he..hello?" Ant said timidly.
"Why hello, Coolio Santos."
The voice sounded strangely familiar...
Then, the chair swiveled around. "How nice of you to join me."
Ant couldn't believe who was sitting in front of him. It was...
In the town square, trouble was flaring up. Two men were standing, facing each other, with a ring of people watching them.
Closer inspection revealed a bag of coins and a tipped cart behind the one man, a lean bearded fellow with half of his teeth missing and a few bruises on his face. The other, a taller but stouter man shouted across to him.
"Joe, you know better than to run off after loosing to me. And I was beginning to like you as well. Pity, now we'll see who the money belongs to."
Joe looked back, trying to hide the fear of the taller man through rage. "Ali! You're a no good lying cheat and that money wasn't yours anyway, I would have won if you and that stupid barmaid hadn't been in cahoots on this..."
They both growled, Ali spat on the floor, then launched himself at Joe and knocked him flat to the floor. They rolled around on the floor, throwing wild punches in the hope that they would make contacts with something breakable.
"Break it up, you two!" came Meka's voice. "What's all this about? " He looked at the scruffy and dusty pair and tutted. "Ali. I should'a known it was you starting something."
"Hey!" replied Ali, "Don't talk to me that way, Sherrif. Call yourself a Sheriff, look at you. You're nothing but a drunken shell of a man. That woman you use is twisting you around her little finger and you can't do anything to stop it!"
Sherrif Meka was taken aback by the words. How dare Ali suggest such a thing, and in public too. He felt anger welling up inside him and rushed towards Ali with fists at the ready. Something held him back, it was Jenny and she had a stern look in her eyes.
"You're supposed to arrest these men, not get involved, remember?!" she said quietly to him, so that no one else could hear. "Lock them in the cell overnight, that should do it."
Meka calmed down on hearing her soft voice and signalled to two burly men to hold the pair down while he cuffed them. As he pulled them up to take them to their cells, Tony stepped in to have a word with him.
"I'l.... er... I'll look after the money if it's okay with you sherrif?" he said cautiously.
"Yeah, Whatever!" said the sheriff as he and his deputy carted away the snarling pair of fighters.
---------------------
Tony Looked at the glowing golden coins. They reminded him of his father's eyes, the father that taught him to look after number one, to always be one step ahead of the rest. Well, he was doing that. No one had noticed the money going missing from the bank. He was very good at accounts and most of the inhabitants of the town couldn't even add up past ten, so it wasn't very hard to sneak away some of the daily takings. He allowed himself a little chuckle as he sorted the coins and notes into piles. Some of the notes were getting worn at the edges where he had often left his grubby finger marks. Soon he would have enough money to buy the land rights to the town, then that snivelling sherif would be bowing to him. Yes, all he had to do was wait another two days and he could ride out to the post office to send his message, then the town would be his!
---------------------
Ali and Joe looked at each other from opposite ends of the jail. Sherrif Meka had deliberately put them in facing cells to work off their anger, but it was having a different effect now he had left the room.
"Here, Joe. Look, you can keep your money. I've got a much better idea if your in."
"Might be, what is it?" replied Joe, cautiously. Any suggestion where he kept the money was a good one.
"Well. Who has been the bane in our lives above everyone else all these years?"
Joe didn't need time to think, "Sherrif Meka! But what do you want with him?"
"You know that woman he's been seeing? Well, she used to be mine, but she ran off, right. She saw that this Meka was a powerful bloke and made plans to use him for her own gains."
"Ok," said Joe, still not seeing the plot unfolding in front of him.
"Well, if we humiliate Meka, then she'll come back. Not only that, but we can make it so he doesn't ever bother us again...." Ali's face contorted into an evil grin and his eyes lit up. He could see that he'd already hooked Joe. After he'd used him he'd have to work out a way to get rid of him as well of course, but that was all to come. He could already taste revenge.
Ali took a toothpick from behind his ear and picked the lock in two seconds flat, they were both out of the jail in five minutes and headed towards Joe's shack.
-----------
The Preacher's eyes glowed even brighter than before and a small chuckle eminated from his lips. "Good, good. It's all coming into place." he said.
Closer inspection revealed a bag of coins and a tipped cart behind the one man, a lean bearded fellow with half of his teeth missing and a few bruises on his face. The other, a taller but stouter man shouted across to him.
"Joe, you know better than to run off after loosing to me. And I was beginning to like you as well. Pity, now we'll see who the money belongs to."
Joe looked back, trying to hide the fear of the taller man through rage. "Ali! You're a no good lying cheat and that money wasn't yours anyway, I would have won if you and that stupid barmaid hadn't been in cahoots on this..."
They both growled, Ali spat on the floor, then launched himself at Joe and knocked him flat to the floor. They rolled around on the floor, throwing wild punches in the hope that they would make contacts with something breakable.
"Break it up, you two!" came Meka's voice. "What's all this about? " He looked at the scruffy and dusty pair and tutted. "Ali. I should'a known it was you starting something."
"Hey!" replied Ali, "Don't talk to me that way, Sherrif. Call yourself a Sheriff, look at you. You're nothing but a drunken shell of a man. That woman you use is twisting you around her little finger and you can't do anything to stop it!"
Sherrif Meka was taken aback by the words. How dare Ali suggest such a thing, and in public too. He felt anger welling up inside him and rushed towards Ali with fists at the ready. Something held him back, it was Jenny and she had a stern look in her eyes.
"You're supposed to arrest these men, not get involved, remember?!" she said quietly to him, so that no one else could hear. "Lock them in the cell overnight, that should do it."
Meka calmed down on hearing her soft voice and signalled to two burly men to hold the pair down while he cuffed them. As he pulled them up to take them to their cells, Tony stepped in to have a word with him.
"I'l.... er... I'll look after the money if it's okay with you sherrif?" he said cautiously.
"Yeah, Whatever!" said the sheriff as he and his deputy carted away the snarling pair of fighters.
---------------------
Tony Looked at the glowing golden coins. They reminded him of his father's eyes, the father that taught him to look after number one, to always be one step ahead of the rest. Well, he was doing that. No one had noticed the money going missing from the bank. He was very good at accounts and most of the inhabitants of the town couldn't even add up past ten, so it wasn't very hard to sneak away some of the daily takings. He allowed himself a little chuckle as he sorted the coins and notes into piles. Some of the notes were getting worn at the edges where he had often left his grubby finger marks. Soon he would have enough money to buy the land rights to the town, then that snivelling sherif would be bowing to him. Yes, all he had to do was wait another two days and he could ride out to the post office to send his message, then the town would be his!
---------------------
Ali and Joe looked at each other from opposite ends of the jail. Sherrif Meka had deliberately put them in facing cells to work off their anger, but it was having a different effect now he had left the room.
"Here, Joe. Look, you can keep your money. I've got a much better idea if your in."
"Might be, what is it?" replied Joe, cautiously. Any suggestion where he kept the money was a good one.
"Well. Who has been the bane in our lives above everyone else all these years?"
Joe didn't need time to think, "Sherrif Meka! But what do you want with him?"
"You know that woman he's been seeing? Well, she used to be mine, but she ran off, right. She saw that this Meka was a powerful bloke and made plans to use him for her own gains."
"Ok," said Joe, still not seeing the plot unfolding in front of him.
"Well, if we humiliate Meka, then she'll come back. Not only that, but we can make it so he doesn't ever bother us again...." Ali's face contorted into an evil grin and his eyes lit up. He could see that he'd already hooked Joe. After he'd used him he'd have to work out a way to get rid of him as well of course, but that was all to come. He could already taste revenge.
Ali took a toothpick from behind his ear and picked the lock in two seconds flat, they were both out of the jail in five minutes and headed towards Joe's shack.
-----------
The Preacher's eyes glowed even brighter than before and a small chuckle eminated from his lips. "Good, good. It's all coming into place." he said.
Grix rolled down the sandy bank... they had run out of water... and travelling wasn't easy.
But the rain helped.
"Where is this temple anyway?" Ant said...
"It's very close to the shrine... it was built, kinda like a meeting point for ghosts, a meeting hall, as it were."
Ant looked over the horizon... and saw it.
The gloomy gothic building in the distance seemed to look in it's right place in the rain and storms...
"I guess that's it." Ant guessed, quite correctly.
Grix and Ant stumbled their way forward, and FM and the stranger walked quietly behind.
Ant walked straight up to the entrance of the temple... and walked inside.
Grix went to follow him in... but the door slammed suddenly, locking Ant inside.
"ANT!" Grix shouted... he looked behind to ask for help... but the Stranger had gone, and FM had collapsed again.
Grix ran over to FM, and slapped him... FM woke up.
"What happened... where are we?"
"Give me a hand opening this door! Ant is trapped inside!"
FM, still unsure of his surroundings, joined Grix as they tried to open the door... But it wouldn't budge.
Then... the whole ground began to shake.
"Oh bugg..."
The temple shook... and began to sink, into the sand...
Grix and FM could do nothing, as the building sank deeper and deeper... right until the cross on the top of the building sank down...
Grix and FM stood in the pouring rain...
------------
"The temple! It just sank!" Pb looked from afar...
"I know... this is Ant's destiny." The stranger walked off, heading for Grix and FM... they had finally found their chance.
"What do you mean! Ant is dead, surely!" Venombyte said.
"Don't be so quick to judge... Ant is quite alive..." The stranger said, as Pb and Venonbyte caught up with him.
The stranger walked upto Grix and FM, and for the first time... they met.
But the rain helped.
"Where is this temple anyway?" Ant said...
"It's very close to the shrine... it was built, kinda like a meeting point for ghosts, a meeting hall, as it were."
Ant looked over the horizon... and saw it.
The gloomy gothic building in the distance seemed to look in it's right place in the rain and storms...
"I guess that's it." Ant guessed, quite correctly.
Grix and Ant stumbled their way forward, and FM and the stranger walked quietly behind.
Ant walked straight up to the entrance of the temple... and walked inside.
Grix went to follow him in... but the door slammed suddenly, locking Ant inside.
"ANT!" Grix shouted... he looked behind to ask for help... but the Stranger had gone, and FM had collapsed again.
Grix ran over to FM, and slapped him... FM woke up.
"What happened... where are we?"
"Give me a hand opening this door! Ant is trapped inside!"
FM, still unsure of his surroundings, joined Grix as they tried to open the door... But it wouldn't budge.
Then... the whole ground began to shake.
"Oh bugg..."
The temple shook... and began to sink, into the sand...
Grix and FM could do nothing, as the building sank deeper and deeper... right until the cross on the top of the building sank down...
Grix and FM stood in the pouring rain...
------------
"The temple! It just sank!" Pb looked from afar...
"I know... this is Ant's destiny." The stranger walked off, heading for Grix and FM... they had finally found their chance.
"What do you mean! Ant is dead, surely!" Venombyte said.
"Don't be so quick to judge... Ant is quite alive..." The stranger said, as Pb and Venonbyte caught up with him.
The stranger walked upto Grix and FM, and for the first time... they met.
The strange man journeyed with Grix, FantasyMeister, and the Ant... even though he had spoken of great urgency to Grix, he didn't seem to want to talk in front of FM and Ant.
"Fm?" Asked Ant... "Can you hear me?"
FM looked at Ant, as if he was going to say something... thought, and then looked away in silence.
Hours passed... clouds were gathering...
It started to rain.
"Ah! Does that feel good!" Grix said... it was a hard time walking through the desert, and with Ant and FM silenced, it wasn't very enjoyable either...
And then they reached a cliff... "There." Ant said, and looked down the cliff side.
At the bottom, lay a small shrine... the Stranger looked at the shrine...
"Ant. You go down and check if it's the right one... call us if it is."
Ant crawled off down the cliffside... FM, still unable to speak, and Grix, were left alone with the stranger...
----------------------
Pb and Venombyte followed the black dressed man as he ran into the Indian village... but they were too late.
The teepees and huts were burned to the ground, dead indians lay everywhere...
The stranger began searching the bodies...
"WAITING HAWK! WHERE ARE YOU!"
A faint noise was heard in a half burned hut...
"Hawk! What happened?"
The man lay on the ground... he was obviously dying, he had little time left.
"I... saw... Mesala... *cough*..."
The stranger leaned foward... "Speak in your own language friend..."
The indian looked at him... and began to speak.
The stranger stood, and translated.
"There is a shrine... Grix and the rest are there."
The indian spoke without pause.
"They will find knowledge about Crow Sun that will take them to..." The stranger looked at the Indian as he said something... "The temple of the dead."
The indian continued. The stranger translated.
"He's making little sense now... something about a legacy, Ant's destiny... and... the Staff of the First Water."
Pb and Venombyte looked at eachother, confused.
"The three must unite under the First Water, to prevent darkness from over-riding the land."
The indian stopped speaking... he looked at the stranger, and said one word. And then he died.
Pb looked at the indian... "What did he say?"
The stranger stood up, and began to walk away... he stopped, and said. "Theralasa." And walked away again.
Venombyte turned away... and walked out, Pb followed him.
"What did he mean, Theralasa?"
The stranger looked worried... "I can't say. Not yet... not until I'm sure."
"So where do we go now?"
"The temple of the dead..."
-------------------------
Ant came crawling back up, carrying a scroll. Grix picked it up, and read it... the stranger looked over his shoulder, but Grix closed the scroll before he got a chance to look.
"So?" Asked Ant...
"It tells of where we must go now."
"Where?" Asked Ant...
"Fm?" Asked Ant... "Can you hear me?"
FM looked at Ant, as if he was going to say something... thought, and then looked away in silence.
Hours passed... clouds were gathering...
It started to rain.
"Ah! Does that feel good!" Grix said... it was a hard time walking through the desert, and with Ant and FM silenced, it wasn't very enjoyable either...
And then they reached a cliff... "There." Ant said, and looked down the cliff side.
At the bottom, lay a small shrine... the Stranger looked at the shrine...
"Ant. You go down and check if it's the right one... call us if it is."
Ant crawled off down the cliffside... FM, still unable to speak, and Grix, were left alone with the stranger...
----------------------
Pb and Venombyte followed the black dressed man as he ran into the Indian village... but they were too late.
The teepees and huts were burned to the ground, dead indians lay everywhere...
The stranger began searching the bodies...
"WAITING HAWK! WHERE ARE YOU!"
A faint noise was heard in a half burned hut...
"Hawk! What happened?"
The man lay on the ground... he was obviously dying, he had little time left.
"I... saw... Mesala... *cough*..."
The stranger leaned foward... "Speak in your own language friend..."
The indian looked at him... and began to speak.
The stranger stood, and translated.
"There is a shrine... Grix and the rest are there."
The indian spoke without pause.
"They will find knowledge about Crow Sun that will take them to..." The stranger looked at the Indian as he said something... "The temple of the dead."
The indian continued. The stranger translated.
"He's making little sense now... something about a legacy, Ant's destiny... and... the Staff of the First Water."
Pb and Venombyte looked at eachother, confused.
"The three must unite under the First Water, to prevent darkness from over-riding the land."
The indian stopped speaking... he looked at the stranger, and said one word. And then he died.
Pb looked at the indian... "What did he say?"
The stranger stood up, and began to walk away... he stopped, and said. "Theralasa." And walked away again.
Venombyte turned away... and walked out, Pb followed him.
"What did he mean, Theralasa?"
The stranger looked worried... "I can't say. Not yet... not until I'm sure."
"So where do we go now?"
"The temple of the dead..."
-------------------------
Ant came crawling back up, carrying a scroll. Grix picked it up, and read it... the stranger looked over his shoulder, but Grix closed the scroll before he got a chance to look.
"So?" Asked Ant...
"It tells of where we must go now."
"Where?" Asked Ant...
A pained expression crossed the stranger's face as Pb and Venombyte helped him to sit down.
"He has him." was all the Stranger could say, over and over again he said, "He has him."
Pb looked at venombyte with a worried expression, they had followed the strange man this far, seen things that no other human had seen and were confident that this stranger knew his purpose. But if the stranger was getting ill then what were they to do. They didn't even have a clue as to where they were.
The stranger suddenly looked up at them, an odd yellow hue in his eyes, as if they were on fire from the inside. "..must get to them Get grix away Warn Him..." He stood up, his whole body now electrified with a kind of static that shot short bolts of lightning out into the air when he moved. "You.. ..will. have ..to help me... must regain strengh. " he seemed to be getting stronger and his words were now forming together, "We have to get to the tribe. Only Waiting Hawk can help me. Listen, I cannot defeat the dark preacher. There is another who has the power, but you two must help defeat him. Only when the townsfolk are lifted from their greed and want can they escape his grasp. If we fail he will swallow the town and all it's souls. Grix is important, locked in his mind is the knowledge of his father, who once fought the evil. That cave we went to, it was where his power came from last time, a simple goldrush. Grix's father was caught up in it and died as a consequence. Now he has found his power from the people themselves, from their inner greed and hunger for power. He controls them when they are weak and eventually they will do his bidding..."
"What does he want with them?" asked Venombyte.
"Power. He is still too weak, but once he has this town he can encourage other people to come. Eventually, once he is powerful enough, he can leave this town and absorb the souls of others. He MUST NOT be allowed to do this!" The stranger hung his head.
Pb noticed that he was shivering and pressed for them to find this indian before something terrible happened.
"He has him." was all the Stranger could say, over and over again he said, "He has him."
Pb looked at venombyte with a worried expression, they had followed the strange man this far, seen things that no other human had seen and were confident that this stranger knew his purpose. But if the stranger was getting ill then what were they to do. They didn't even have a clue as to where they were.
The stranger suddenly looked up at them, an odd yellow hue in his eyes, as if they were on fire from the inside. "..must get to them Get grix away Warn Him..." He stood up, his whole body now electrified with a kind of static that shot short bolts of lightning out into the air when he moved. "You.. ..will. have ..to help me... must regain strengh. " he seemed to be getting stronger and his words were now forming together, "We have to get to the tribe. Only Waiting Hawk can help me. Listen, I cannot defeat the dark preacher. There is another who has the power, but you two must help defeat him. Only when the townsfolk are lifted from their greed and want can they escape his grasp. If we fail he will swallow the town and all it's souls. Grix is important, locked in his mind is the knowledge of his father, who once fought the evil. That cave we went to, it was where his power came from last time, a simple goldrush. Grix's father was caught up in it and died as a consequence. Now he has found his power from the people themselves, from their inner greed and hunger for power. He controls them when they are weak and eventually they will do his bidding..."
"What does he want with them?" asked Venombyte.
"Power. He is still too weak, but once he has this town he can encourage other people to come. Eventually, once he is powerful enough, he can leave this town and absorb the souls of others. He MUST NOT be allowed to do this!" The stranger hung his head.
Pb noticed that he was shivering and pressed for them to find this indian before something terrible happened.
The preacher walked over to FantasyMeister... and placed a hand on his head.
"Humm..."
He closed his eyes...
Grix and Ant watched in horror as the clouds forming started swirling clockwise, around the preacher...
It started pouring down with rain... lightning struck in the clouds above...
-----
"I'm going in Sniper... you can finish the round of golf on your own... you win the bet." Meka ran inside...
Sniper, feeling rather pleased with himself, decided to give the ball one more great big hit with the golf club...
-----
There was a crash of thunder... lightning struck the ground in the east...
"Crap that was loud... I wonder where it hit?" Said Ant...
FantasyMeister began to rise off the hoverhoss... the preacher took his hand away. FantasyMeister opened his eyes... and saw that he was floating above the ground...
"Argghhhh!" FM tried swimming through the air... only to land flat on his face in the pale cream sand...
It stopped raining.
A few minutes later, the preacher still hadn't said much more... and strangly, FM hadn't said anything either... Perhaps he was shocked.
"Grix, I must speak with you." The preacher said...
"We are thankful for what you've done..." He waved in the direction of FM, "But we really must be going."
"It is of quite large importance."
"So is our journey, and time is of the essense."
"Then may I travel with you... I need to speak to you urgently."
Grix looked at Ant... he shrugged.
"Ok... you may travel with us. Tell me what you need to say."
"Humm..."
He closed his eyes...
Grix and Ant watched in horror as the clouds forming started swirling clockwise, around the preacher...
It started pouring down with rain... lightning struck in the clouds above...
-----
"I'm going in Sniper... you can finish the round of golf on your own... you win the bet." Meka ran inside...
Sniper, feeling rather pleased with himself, decided to give the ball one more great big hit with the golf club...
-----
There was a crash of thunder... lightning struck the ground in the east...
"Crap that was loud... I wonder where it hit?" Said Ant...
FantasyMeister began to rise off the hoverhoss... the preacher took his hand away. FantasyMeister opened his eyes... and saw that he was floating above the ground...
"Argghhhh!" FM tried swimming through the air... only to land flat on his face in the pale cream sand...
It stopped raining.
A few minutes later, the preacher still hadn't said much more... and strangly, FM hadn't said anything either... Perhaps he was shocked.
"Grix, I must speak with you." The preacher said...
"We are thankful for what you've done..." He waved in the direction of FM, "But we really must be going."
"It is of quite large importance."
"So is our journey, and time is of the essense."
"Then may I travel with you... I need to speak to you urgently."
Grix looked at Ant... he shrugged.
"Ok... you may travel with us. Tell me what you need to say."
FM, Grix and Ant, now an ant, continued travelling towards the shrine, now so close they could see it glimmering in the hot sun.
But why were they even heading for it? They knew they had to, but why?
Grix called out "Stop!" As he pulled on the brake of his hover hoss. "Something ain't right."
"He's right" Said FM climbing down from his hoss and placing his ear to the ground. "There are a number of others approaching us, it sounds like a group of 3 or so from behind us, gaining fast, but there's something else too."
"ONWARDS" Shouted Ant, as loud as an Ant could, but his voice had changed.
So the three of them continued towards the shrine. The confusion of recent events swirled around FantasyMeisters mind, slowly he begun to put the pieces together....
Grix turned to look at why FantasyMeister had slowed down, "C'mon FM get a move on!"
FM didn't react, he slumped in the saddle. "FM....?" Said Grix quite concerned, pulling the hosses over. FantasyMeister was out cold.
"You folks seem to be in a spot o' bother" Came a voice from nearby.
Grix looked round to see a wagon approaching, with a preacher guiding in towards the party.
"Let me be of assistance to you, let me save you" Said the preacher, in an accent that was unknown to Grix.
Unknown, yet familiar...
But why were they even heading for it? They knew they had to, but why?
Grix called out "Stop!" As he pulled on the brake of his hover hoss. "Something ain't right."
"He's right" Said FM climbing down from his hoss and placing his ear to the ground. "There are a number of others approaching us, it sounds like a group of 3 or so from behind us, gaining fast, but there's something else too."
"ONWARDS" Shouted Ant, as loud as an Ant could, but his voice had changed.
So the three of them continued towards the shrine. The confusion of recent events swirled around FantasyMeisters mind, slowly he begun to put the pieces together....
Grix turned to look at why FantasyMeister had slowed down, "C'mon FM get a move on!"
FM didn't react, he slumped in the saddle. "FM....?" Said Grix quite concerned, pulling the hosses over. FantasyMeister was out cold.
"You folks seem to be in a spot o' bother" Came a voice from nearby.
Grix looked round to see a wagon approaching, with a preacher guiding in towards the party.
"Let me be of assistance to you, let me save you" Said the preacher, in an accent that was unknown to Grix.
Unknown, yet familiar...
As Ant, Grix, and FM continued onto the Crow Sun Shrine, Ant suddenly realised something.
"Hey!! I'm getting smaller!!"
Ant was indeed getting smaller, and his body had begun to change into the sort of body an Ant has. His head had enlarged, and his legs were a little longer than should have been.
"It looks like the potion is wearing out." Grix said, feeling a little sorry for Ant.
"No!! I want to stay Human!! I thought the potion lasted forever!!"
Out of nowhere the old Indian turned up again, "You must find your destiny."
"Whaa?? How will that help me stay as a human??"
"Your destiny is what you must find...." Indian guy said, and then he disappeared.
"Oh bo**ocks." Ant said, more than a little annoyed. "Why do old Indian guys do that!!"
"Hey!! I'm getting smaller!!"
Ant was indeed getting smaller, and his body had begun to change into the sort of body an Ant has. His head had enlarged, and his legs were a little longer than should have been.
"It looks like the potion is wearing out." Grix said, feeling a little sorry for Ant.
"No!! I want to stay Human!! I thought the potion lasted forever!!"
Out of nowhere the old Indian turned up again, "You must find your destiny."
"Whaa?? How will that help me stay as a human??"
"Your destiny is what you must find...." Indian guy said, and then he disappeared.
"Oh bo**ocks." Ant said, more than a little annoyed. "Why do old Indian guys do that!!"
Ant led forward... his coat draped in the cream coloured sand, half of the desert was in Grix's boots, so he had to stop.
"Ant, can you stop for a second?"
Ant didn't seem to hear him, and strode forward ignoring Grixs plea.
"Nevermind."
Grix emptied his boots... FantasyMeister stood by him, waiting.
They catch up with Ant... and walk by his side...
Grix looked at Ant... and looked deep into his eyes...
Ant's eyes glowed white... as if he was possessed by some... thing...
-----
A man walked into a bar... The barkeep had a good look at him... the checkered shirt... the black hat...
It was Grix Thraves alright.
He sat at a table, all on his own... and pulled out some papers. He began to read them, adding little comments to them, by writing in a red pen...
He stepped out back, and rang the local Sheriff...
The man, still sat at the table writing, had gathered some company.
"Hello stranger..."
The man didn't look up.
"I said, Hello stranger."
"And I said nothing. Goodbye."
The stranger seemed a bit shocked that someone could even DARE talk to him like that...
The man sat down, and looked at the mans face... well he tried to, but he had pulled his hat over it.
The man tried to pull the black hat from covering his face. The man pulled it back.
"Ah, shy are we?"
The man pulled off the man's hat... and noticed...
----
Sheriff Meka walked through the door... five were dead on the floor, six were hanging from the ceiling, and two... well.
Meka ran outside, and was violently sick...
"Ant, can you stop for a second?"
Ant didn't seem to hear him, and strode forward ignoring Grixs plea.
"Nevermind."
Grix emptied his boots... FantasyMeister stood by him, waiting.
They catch up with Ant... and walk by his side...
Grix looked at Ant... and looked deep into his eyes...
Ant's eyes glowed white... as if he was possessed by some... thing...
-----
A man walked into a bar... The barkeep had a good look at him... the checkered shirt... the black hat...
It was Grix Thraves alright.
He sat at a table, all on his own... and pulled out some papers. He began to read them, adding little comments to them, by writing in a red pen...
He stepped out back, and rang the local Sheriff...
The man, still sat at the table writing, had gathered some company.
"Hello stranger..."
The man didn't look up.
"I said, Hello stranger."
"And I said nothing. Goodbye."
The stranger seemed a bit shocked that someone could even DARE talk to him like that...
The man sat down, and looked at the mans face... well he tried to, but he had pulled his hat over it.
The man tried to pull the black hat from covering his face. The man pulled it back.
"Ah, shy are we?"
The man pulled off the man's hat... and noticed...
----
Sheriff Meka walked through the door... five were dead on the floor, six were hanging from the ceiling, and two... well.
Meka ran outside, and was violently sick...
The stranger said nothing, turned away from the window, and put his rifle away.
"That was some pretty slick shooting." pb said, still barely able to believe his eyes.
"No time for talk" the stranger said. "We must follow Grix. I need you two to hotwire some hover hosses."
"No problem" replied venombyte. The stranger watched as they left the room. He briefly turned to survey the chaos outside, then made his way out of the book depository.
----------
Meka dragon cursed. Grix had escaped. He cursed again, using language that would have made his mom turn in her grave, if she'd been dead.
However, she was in fact, standing directly behind him.
"MEKA! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU DOING USING LANGUAGE LIKE THAT?"
Meka looked rather sheepish and started to apologise, but it was no use.
"You weren't brought up to use language like that young man! In front of all these folks too! I don't know, you young kids have no standards these days!"
"Mom, I'm all grown up and-"
"And don't talk back to your mother either!"
-----------
The dark man continued onwards through the desert. Pausing only to ensure he made eye contact with a certain dancer he met on the way.
------------
"Right, where now?" asked FM
Grix remained silent. He was thiking about how he had been saved. FM had seen the man in the window, when FM, Ant, and himself were speeding away. Grix hadn't needed to look and see the man. A stranger, who had been watching him. Grix felt he already knew who the man was. Not by name, but names were unimportant. He knew him by a purpose, and that was what mattered.
"Follow me" said Ant/Coolio Santos. "I...I have to show you the shrine of Crow Sun"
"Did I just say that?" Ant asked.
FM and Grix stared at him.
"This way" Ant said
"How do you know where it is?" FM asked.
"I'm...not sure" Ant replied.
"That was some pretty slick shooting." pb said, still barely able to believe his eyes.
"No time for talk" the stranger said. "We must follow Grix. I need you two to hotwire some hover hosses."
"No problem" replied venombyte. The stranger watched as they left the room. He briefly turned to survey the chaos outside, then made his way out of the book depository.
----------
Meka dragon cursed. Grix had escaped. He cursed again, using language that would have made his mom turn in her grave, if she'd been dead.
However, she was in fact, standing directly behind him.
"MEKA! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU DOING USING LANGUAGE LIKE THAT?"
Meka looked rather sheepish and started to apologise, but it was no use.
"You weren't brought up to use language like that young man! In front of all these folks too! I don't know, you young kids have no standards these days!"
"Mom, I'm all grown up and-"
"And don't talk back to your mother either!"
-----------
The dark man continued onwards through the desert. Pausing only to ensure he made eye contact with a certain dancer he met on the way.
------------
"Right, where now?" asked FM
Grix remained silent. He was thiking about how he had been saved. FM had seen the man in the window, when FM, Ant, and himself were speeding away. Grix hadn't needed to look and see the man. A stranger, who had been watching him. Grix felt he already knew who the man was. Not by name, but names were unimportant. He knew him by a purpose, and that was what mattered.
"Follow me" said Ant/Coolio Santos. "I...I have to show you the shrine of Crow Sun"
"Did I just say that?" Ant asked.
FM and Grix stared at him.
"This way" Ant said
"How do you know where it is?" FM asked.
"I'm...not sure" Ant replied.
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