The journey to the Chaos Shrine was difficult for the four crystal bearers, the day long trek spent fighting off wolves, goblins and the occasional monster horse. While the battles were tiring, by the time end of the day the three mages and the monk learned how best to fight alongside each other.
They had just finished crossing an unnatural swamp
, the local landmark that meant they were half a day away from the Shrine. Not wanting to press their luck, the warriors set up camp for the night, taking the time to nurse their wounds.
Well... Joe had wounds to nurse, the others simply set up their sleeping rolls and check their equipment. Sitting beside the small campfire that was made, Joe began rifling through his bag for one of the few potions he had the left over money to buy on their way out of Cornelia. As he was about to pour the healing mixture over his wounds, a white robed arm reached out from his side, grasping his hand to stop him. Blinking, Joe glanced up to the source, glancing oddly at Raldin as the priest knelt before him. Moving his hands in the sign of a cross, the priest's hands and eyes began to glow a soft green, channeling healing energies before laying his hands on Joe's chest, forcing the Cure spell into the Monk and healing his wounds.
It was an odd sensation for Joe, as if someone had doused him with cold water before a wave of comforting warmth enveloped him. Shaking his head to clear his mind, Joe blinked at Raldin. "Um... thank you." He said clumsily. The priest merely nodded in reply before moving to his bedroll, kneeling upon it before praying to the Light.
Watching the priest for a moment, Joe slowly turned to the other two mages. "Your friend doesn't speak much, does he?"
Bormas chuckled a moment while a distinctive amused snort came from beneath Wicca's inexpressive hat. "There is a reason for that, my friend. Raldin has taken a vow of silence. Even in prayer, he never speaks aloud. After all, the old saying goes 'The mouth is the origin of disaster'."
Arching a brow, Joe nearly felt the need to point out that Bormas hardly ever shut HIS origin of disaster, before shaking his head. Returning the potion in his hand to his pouch, he sighed and made ready for bed. Despite Raldin's good intentions, being healed by the priest made the Monk feel a bit uneasy. Perhaps it was the fact that they were almost at the Shrine, but the fact was that all three mages had been saving their mana til this point.
Raldin being the first to use his to heal the Monk meant that the day ahead was going to be a frightening experience to say the least.
The Next Day
The evening and the next morning passed without incident, the four volunteered warriors meeting with minimal difficulty as they finally came to the Chaos Shrine
.
Despite its name, Joe was unimpressed by the state of the so-called shrine. Even from the outside, it looked as if the decrepit building was going to collapse at any moment. Still, that made sense to the monk... a large army could not bring its full force to bear at such a place, especially since the Princess was being held within.
Though the place was run-down, Joe could feel something unnatural about the place. The hairs on the back of his neck rose the moment he stepped foot into the dark ruins, the barely lit interior filled with a dark miasma. Every so often, something out of sight shuffled its feet, while the clattering of bones moving against each other echoed against the damp walls.
"... this place is full of undead, isn't it?" Joe asked with a defeated sigh. The serious looks of his companions were all the answer he needed.
Well, that and the fact that Raldin seemed tense, gripping the handle of his warhammer firmly. Joe knew little of the undead, in all honesty, all he did know was that Mages of the White Order were indispensable in dealing with them.
"Killing off as many undead as we can is the best strategy. We'll be able to lessen the danger around us so we don't have to worry about being hit from behind when we confront Garland." Wicca said as she glanced about, her thumb lightly toying with the hilt of her knife.
"The plan is sound. Let it be done." Bormas tried his best to sound sure of himself as he said it, but Joe could tell the Red Mage was nervous. Sighing softly, Joe shrugged and carefully made his way further into the Shrine, the three mages keeping close behind him...
Joe's first encounter with the undead was a lone zombie, shuffling towards them menacingly. While it had gone down relatively easily, he doubted he would ever forget the feel of rotted flesh squelching beneath his fists, or the manic light in Raldin's eyes as he crushed the moving corpse with his hammer.
His next few encounters with the undead were not as messy, though just as frightening. Twice they were beset by groups of skeletons, and twice all it took was for Raldin to channel his White Magicks into a searing light, blasting away the skeletons while acting as a beacon to the other monsters that lay within the Shrine. After that it was a fight for their lives as goblins and their pet wolves attacked them from all sides.
In the end, the foul creatures were defeated, the group more or less in one piece, if not exhausted by their efforts. Still, it was worth it. No other creatures were within sight. While the mages were taking a moment to heal their injuries, Joe was on lookout, making sure no other monsters were waiting to ambush them.
"...hahahaha..."
Frowning, Joe motioned for the mages to follow him as he sought out the source of the muffled voice,
"...have no choice... for his daugh... ife. Corne... be MINE!"
Coming across a thick door, Joe looked around. It seemed the center of the Shrine was am isolated room, which would explain both why the monsters never bothered Garland, as well as why he likely didn't react to the noise outside.
Glancing at the mages, Joe nodded once, receiving the same from the three. Taking a deep breath, Joe lifted his foot and kicked the door in, forcing the wooden door to break off from its hinges and fall inward, revealing a tall, armored figure with a horned helmet.
"Who's there?!" exclaimed Garland as he turned around, hand moving to the blade at his side. Thanks to the faceplate on his helmet, Joe couldn't really see any kind of facial features. From his association with Wicca, he could only assume the armored warrior was glaring at them.
"Garland, I presume?" Groaning at the line, Joe made a promise to himself. As soon as this was over, he was smacking Bormas upside the head.
"Hmph. The king's lapdogs. Do you have any idea who you're messing with? You really think you have what it takes to cross swords with ME?!" At this, the knight unsheathed his blade, moving into a ready position.
Sighing, Joe shook his head. "Actually, no." The comment took both his allies and their opponent by surprise. Unable to help himself, Joe smirked as he took on his own ready stance. "After all, I don't use swords. Can't cross what I don't have."
There was a moment of silence, as the only response to Joe's remark was the flapping of bat wings from somewhere above them. Not wanting to let this moment of distraction get away, Joe charged at Garland, the harsh clang of fist striking metal armor driving the rest of his allies into motion.
Garland was slightly shaken from the blow, but quickly recovered as he swung his blade out at Joe, the monk jumping away with a wince as the blade cut across his chest. "FOOL! I, Garland, will knock you ALL down!"
"Precious light, be his armor and guard him! PROTECT!" he heard Bormas call out. The familiar sensation of White Magic being worked on him caused Joe to blink. He watched as his body began to emit a golden glow, even as the familiar green glow of a healing spell overtook him, healing the damage inflicted upon him.
Before he could question the yellow glow, Garland was striking at him again, Joe instinctively pulling away as the blade tried to slice his arm off, only to blink as the blade only made a minor cut on his shoulder. Grinning eagerly at this magical aura protecting him, Joe launched himself at Garland, striking at him twice in the chest before Wicca's call of 'CLEAR!' caused him to jump away. Glancing at the Mages, he watched in awe as both Bormas and Wicca brought their mystic might to bare.
"Destruction of Nature, gather in flame!" called Bormas as a ball of flame gathered at his outstretched hand. Aiming it at Garland, Bormas released it with a sharp thrust of his palm, sending it flying at Garland. "FIRE!"
"Strip away the ground with glistening blades!" called Wicca as lightning crackled around her form. Bringing her hands together with a mighty clap, the energy she gathered struck out in the blink of an eye, racing towards Garland at the same time as the ball of flame. "THUNDER!"
The twin spells struck Garland simultaneously, causing him to cry out in pain. Stumbling backwards, the knight growled as he tried to stand through sheer willpower.
"... not... yet.." he croaked out, his armor blackened where the two spells struck him. With a final war cry, Joe rushed forward, leaping up at the last moment, to kick the knight in the face, sending the man sprawling onto his back. Panting heavily, Joe watched as Garland's body was enveloped in an odd blue glow and vanished.
"Well, looks like we did it." Bormas said as he walked over to Joe. "Are you alright my friend? So you require any heal-OW!" Wincing, Bormas looked at Joe incredulously as the monk knocked the hat off of his head. "Whatever was THAT for?!"
"'Garland, I presume'?! Honestly, between you and that knight's ranting I don't know which was worse." Joe said as he dusted himself off. While Bormas retrieved his hat and Raldin saw to everyone's injuries, Joe found himself glancing about the inner sanctum of the shrine. It had obviously seen better days... though the idea of a place called the Chaos Shrine having better days didn't sit too well with him.
And that's when he saw her. Slowly standing from a dais in the center of the room was the Princess they sought. She looked at them in wide-eyed wonder, and it was all Joe could do from stuttering like a loon. A sharp elbow from beside him jolted him from his momentary loss of his faculties as he knelt down before the Princess, the other mages having already done the same.
"You... you've come to rescue me? I don't know how I can ever thank you...
"
Her voice was gentle, her face and form pleasing to the eyes. She was everything Joe ever imagined a Princess to look like, honestly.
She was also about 15 years of age.
"That's the first time anyone's EVER defeated Garland!"
Trying his best to hold back a groan, Joe instantly felt a headache coming on. Bormas, as usual, took the lead and started taking to the princess, but Joe tuned it all out. Instead, he felt the urge to spit on the place where Garland's body vanished.
'damned pedophile...'
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