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Story Three: Chalice of Purity
Topic Started: Sep 13 2009, 06:00 PM (207 Views)
Darkom
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”The Chalice will purify all the impurities, regenerate the bones and renew the flesh. The loved ones will be with you again.”


Part I

At the quiet night in Blackwood, gathered by the comfortable campfire, Angelus Gladius- imperial knight and Francis Xavier- leader of a small freelance mercenary team of wizards and three of his team members, were discussing an artifact, known as Chalice Of Purity, which is supposed to cure any disease known and unknown. Angelus and Francis were asked to find it by a desperate rich merchant, whose daughter was dying of some mystical disease.

”..You know that it is of great importance to Derek, Francis!” Angelus said angrily to his childhood friend.

”I know and I feel sorry for his daughter, I really do, but let’s face it- we are going to find something that probably doesn't even exist! Or doesn't necessary do, what we may think it does. It's a fool's errand!” Francis was very sceptical about the
mystical artifact.

”You still don't believe it does, in fact, exist?” Celyryon, the main researcher of Francis' team asked. ”Me and Lynette did the research and all the evidences…”

”..I can ASSURE you, it does and I, am the one who also will get the Chalice.” A blonde Imperial woman interrupted, suddenly appearing from the woods.

”What are YOU doing here, of all people!?” Angelus touched hilt of his sword - a sudden appearance of his livelong rival worsened his foul mood.

”You can't get involved THIS time, Christine- this is a matter of life and death!”
It doesn't take a genius to figure that cunning agent was obviously hired by another client to find the same Chalice.

A coincidence?

”Yes, I heard the Chalice of Purity can cure the rare disease that rich old man's daughter has, is that why you are trying to find it?” Christine asked. ”Well, I’m sorry to inform you, but I was hired by ”another” crazy old man and wizard no less, to find the very same Chalice..”

”..By the Nines, you amoral bitch!” The knight has completely lost his temper, as he usually does when Christine interfere with his quests.

”The innocent child will surely perish without it!”

”..It’s too bad that Derek didn't hire ME...well, it was so nice to see you, my dear Angelus, but I must get back to work, farewell and may the best side win.” Christine winked at Angelus. ”Francis.” She nodded to battlemage and, ignoring all the others, disappeared into the woods.

”Curse her! As usual, she only cares about getting her job done, no matter what!” Angelus clenched his fists.

”Relax friend, no matter how good she is, she has challenged not only you this time, but the Xavier Team as well.” Jira Gra-Khara, a optimistic spellsword said, trying to cheer Angelus up.

”According to our books, the Chalice is located at the old tomb or some such, not far from here,” Celyryon said, ”we shall begin immediately, least Christine ruin everything…”


And so the quest for Chalice began, the two sides trying to find an artifact, one for profit and reputation and, the other, to save the life of a child..



Part II

Soon, the adventurers arrived at the cave entrance.

”This door's stuck!” Jira kicked the old, massive door to the cave complex.

”Truly Jira, you act like a barbarian and not a wizard.” Lynette Briele said, clearly annoyed by Jira's attempt at opening door with a brute force.

Lynette raises her finger at the door, chanting some words. Something clicked inside the door and the way to ancient ruins was open.

”Christine hasn't arrived yet.” Angelus said to himself, relaxed by the fact, that he is step ahead of his rival.

”Now let’s take a better look at our dungeon.” Lynette’s hand gave off the blue glow of magical lamination.

A dozen of heavily armored and armed skeletons were standing right in front of adventurers and staring at them with their empty eye sockets.

”Well hello in there, bony friends!” Francis smiled and made step toward skeletons.
Suddenly, skeletons raised their weapons and rushed toward adventurers.

”To arms!” Angelus was expecting no less from skeletons in a dark, sealed dungeon and quickly grabbed his sword.

The others immediately joined in the fight.

Jira got attacked by two skeletons in shiny golden helms and armed with long sabres, surprisingly- rusty, but still very nasty looking. Defending from one guardian, with her right sword, she pushed her left sword, enchanted by Celyryon, right thru other skeleton’s ribcage and activated the enchantment. The skeletal guardian’s upper half exploded and its skull, with shiny helm, went flying. The lower half however, kicked Jira in stomach, knocking her down. Second guardian raised its horrible sword above Jira’s head, preparing to finish her, but before it could decapitate the brave orc, Lynette’s spell blasted its hand off.

”Now you really angered me!” Jira, still lying on the ground, grabbed the pesky legs, dancing confusingly nearby and throws them at now one-handed skeleton, still trying to slash her head off, not realising, that it no longer possesses hand nor sword. The blow sent it flying, leaving the spellsword with only one bone leg in her hand. Lynette’s fire spell catches the flying bone warrior, finally finishing it off.

Meanwhile, Angelus was fighting two other skeletons, one of which, dressed in rags, with three hands, was throwing spells at the knight.

”A Bonelord- leave this one to me.” Lynette turned to help Angelus.

”Be my guest.” Knight said and dodged another of Bonelord’s spells.


Leaving the mage having spell duel with Bonelord, Angelus concentrated on fighting a small, but surprisingly agile guardian. ”A former Bosmer, little bugger.” He cussed, trying to severe its head. The little skeleton, was armed with a tiny knife, which couldn’t leave a single scratch on Angelus’ shield and armour, but was jumping and dodging with a lighting speed. ”This one’s heavily enchanted- never seen such fast skeleton in my life..” Angelus thinks to himself.

Celyryon and Francis were standing before a huge skeleton in a heavy armour, holding a giant claymore.

”Watch this!” Francis summoned a mace and charged, protecting himself with his new shield. The experienced battlemage could kill an ogre with but a single blow, but the armoured guardian didn’t even moved. It raised a giant sword and made such a powerful blow, that Francis went flying. Luckily, his shield saved his life.

Celyryon, surprised at how easily Francis was disabled, took one of his enchanted rings and sent rapid-fire lighting bolts at the powerful skeleton. When guardian absorbed them all, he went melee and tried to deal a blow with his mechanical arm, constructed by dwemer design. The giant quickly grabbed it and severely twisted it, forcing the enchanter into his knees. Then he sent Celyryon flying, right near Francis.


”That’s enough!” Francis raised his hand up and summoned a huge, flaming ball
”Your rusty armour won’t save you from his one!” However, before he could throw his most powerful spell, the skeletal guardian’s armour exploded and guardian’s bones collapsed- the bulky armour was obviously serving as shell, keeping bones intact.

”What you did that for!?” Francis’s flaming ball disappeared. ”I was about to blast it!”

”Were you trying to blast us all along!?” Lynette said angrily. ”A disintegration spell is all that was needed..”


Soon, All the guardians were defeated and bones scattered across the hall. The little jumping skeleton got stuck between stone rubble and Angelus smashed it.

Celyryon's mechanical arm was badly damaged and Francis' shield was cut in two. ”And merchant fool said this shield was indestructible.” Battlemage cursed and threw pieces on the floor.

”Well, this cave sure isn't big, but I doubt the Chalice will be waiting for us just behind that door.” Francis pointed at the large stone door the skeletons had been guarding. ”How much do you want to bet, this amulet from big skeleton, will open it?”

For a half hour, Francis was trying to unseal the door with the amulet, with no results.
Lynette rolled her eyes, ”Angelus, do you mind rotating that sword, hanging on the wall right behind you?”

Without saying a word, Angelus rotated a plain-looking iron sword by its hilt. Surprisingly, nothing happened.

”Oh please!” Francis in turn, rolled his eyes and smiled widely at Lynette, ”That would be too obvious don't you think?” Francis openly enjoyed, that for once Lynette was wrong.

”No, there is a specific combination…” Lynette said calmly. She floated to the sword and moved it clockwise, listening to the sound it make, then turned it again, this time counterclockwise. After a brief toying with sword-switch, something finally clicked and door swings open.

”..Damn! How’d you do that?” Francis was clearly frustrated by another defeat.

”I read about similar switch in a children's book once.” Lynette chuckled quietly.


”..Would you look at that!” Celyryon was standing at what appears to be a stone bridge across a giant hall with no visible ends. ”Truly an empty void!”

The bridge wasn't particularly wide, allowing only one person to walk at time. It was seemingly endless, as friends were walking for a good hour, without seeing the other side. Fortunately, there weren’t any nasty surprises so far, just a thick fog everywhere and narrow bridge, leading nowhere...

”…Uh, Angelus? Everyone?!” Suddenly Francis, who was walking first in line, froze and slowly turned back to others, frustrated. ”I, I think I stepped into a trap... ask Radih someday- happened before, once you step from the plate, something very nasty will happen- better not to move. By the Gods, I hate these floor plates!”

”And there I was, thinking that Radih made this story up, about you, triggering some trap and making the Ayleid ruins falling apart.” Lynette rolled her eyes and made sarcastic imitation of praying.

”..So, any ideas?” Jira asked.

”Actually, I might have one” Francis grinned and jumped forward as far as he could, covering his head. His friends followed the example, by throwing themselves on the ground and preparing for the worse..



Part III


”…So, shouldn’t something terrible be happening right now?” Jira carefully opened eyes and raised her head.

”Oh, heh, perhaps the trap wasn't functional anymore?” Francis was already standing and smiling widely.

After a brief exchange of cursing, the friends continued forward.

At last, the seemingly endless path led them to the biggest gate they ever seen in their adventuring lives.

”Oh how nice, ANOTHER locked door.” Lynette slyly looked at Francis, waiting for another attempt at opening door.

”Yes, well, let’s open it then!” Francis examined the surroundings of a big platform around the gate on which they were standing. His gaze stopped at the big statue of a knight, holding a spear- clearly a switch of some kind. ”Jira,” he said absent mindedly ”would you be so kind, as to press that spear?”

”Yeah, whatever.” Jira shrugged and pulled the spear down.

Something clicked and, after a few seconds, fist sized iron balls started to fall down from nowhere. The first ball hit Jira in the head, knocking her unconscious.

”Oblivion! Take cover!” Francis screamed, trying to dodge the deadly rain. Angelus rushed to Jira, protecting her and himself with his shield.

”By the Nine...give me that amulet!” Lynette, protected by magical barrier, grabbed the guardian's amulet from Xavier's neck and inserted it into small slot, clearly visible in the gate. Surprisingly, the giant door disappeared into thin air, showing a great hall, lighted by magical, red torches.

”Is everyone alright?” Celyryon asked, once everyone was inside the hall, safe from the rain of iron.

”Yeah, I’m ok.. I guess.” Jira said groggily as she woke up.

”Lynette, you arrogant mageling! You knew it all along how to open the damn door!” Francis cursed.

”Just gave you a chance to figure it out yourself,” the mage said arrogantly, ”my fault, I confess- should have known, that something hazardous would eventually happen..”

”Enough you two! We found what we sought!” Angelus pointed at tall pedestal at the end of hall. A beautiful, masterfully made golden goblet was placed on the top of it.

As Angelus walked toward the Chalice, a skeletal figure appeared near the pedestal. It spoke in hissing, yet booming voice echoing ominously inside their heads.

”ROBBERS CAME TO STEAL MY PRECIOUS CHALICE?! YOU WILL NOT GET OUT OF HERE ALIVE, PATHETIC MORTALS!” The robed undead could only be a lich ”YOU WILL BE SHREDDED! TORN APART AND THEN STITCHED TOGETHER, MAKING THE NEW GUARDIANS FOR MY TOMB!”

That said, the lich raised his staff, summoning a humongous skeleton.

”Oh look! A giant skeleton!” Jira said in awe.

”Actually, a skeleton of a Giant.” Celyryon corrected.

”I don't care what it is, I’ll tear it to pieces!” Angelus raised his sword and shield and attacked the huge enemy. Jira immediately joined the fight. For such a huge skeleton, it was surprisingly fast and its bones were incredibly tough. It was armed with two huge axes in each hand. Slowly, piece by piece, bone by bone, Jira and Angelus were demolishing the giant, while dodging and deflecting its mighty attacks. The bone mass was fighting, even after they ripped off most of its limbs- unable to walk or hold weapons, it started to throw itself at them, trying to bite with its huge, yellowed teeths. .

Meanwhile, Lynette, Francis and Celyryon attacked the powerful lich.

The battle was tough one, the lich was clearly an ancient and possessed a tremendous power. It reflected Lynette’s lighting attack back to her, turning her robe into smoking rags and destroying her levitation boots, leaving her on the floor.

”Lynette!” Enraged, Francis charged at the lich, only to be stopped halfway by its frost beam.

”You’re not the first fool mage to fight against us,” Celyryon’s dwemer arm begun to glow brightly, ”perhaps I will loose another arm to another insane wizard, but you will fall!” Celyryon unleashed its most powerful enchantment, contained in its own arm, however, the mechanical arm was badly damaged and spell backfired, leaving Celyryon one handed once again.

”HOW AMUSING, CLOWNS!” The lich started to laugh hysterically. ”ALMOST GLAD YOU CAME!”

”…Be glad to eat THIS dead bastard!” Francis was standing with flaming ball above his head.

”DO YOUR WORST!”

Francis shrugs and sent the flaming ball at the lich. A huge explosion turned the cocky lich into thousands bone shards..

At the same time, at the other side of hall, Angelus and Jira finally stopped all that was left of a skeleton giant- the rampaging skull. The shockwave reached even them, knocking Jira down.


”…You seen that?” Francis boasted, ”my Special Explosive Fireball!”

”I felt that.” Lynette wrapped what was left of her robe, around her body, ”You almost killed me and Celyryon, I’m speechless, really.”

”I knew he would do that,” Celyryon helped Lynette stand up, ”it always ends like this.”

”Oh come one, I knew you were far from harm.” Francis smiled. ”Hey Angelus, that was fun, I think we should fight more often together like that!”

Everyone looked at Angelus. The knight was staring at pedestal with grim face. Other turned their gaze at the pedestal too and their faces became as grim.


”Game over Angelus.” Christine was sitting on a pedestal, holding the Chalice of Purity in her hands. ”I must thank you, for getting rid of the annoying guardians of this place and opening all these doors for me- was entertaining to watch all this really. I however, came for this,” she showed the Chalice, ”and not to waste my time with fighting, so my job here is done.. Until the next time Angelus. Francis.” She politely nodded to both and once again, ignoring all others, teleported away.

”…She was following us all this time. I can't believe how stupid we were to forget about Christine! Knowing her, we should have founded her absence a bit disturbing!” Angelus clenched his fists, looking at the now empty pedestal...


The Epilogue.


It was a quiet evening in the Imperial City. Angelus was sitting alone in a bench at the Arboretum. The quest for Chalice failed and Derek's daughter was dead.

”You still can't forgive yourself Angelus?” He heard a soft voice. Christine sat down beside him.

”Yes, I can't. But before everything else, I can't forgive YOU! It’s not a game Christine, when a child's life is at stake!” Angelus gave her a hateful gaze.

”If it makes you feel better, the Chalice of Purity has nothing to do with curing incurable diseases,” Christine sighed, ”I asked my client about it. Asked if he could lend it to help the girl. He laughed and said it’s used to enchant skeletons and zombies, to make them more durable or something - he is a necromancer you see.”

”What?” Angelus looked at the agent ”But the legend..?”

’”..Oh please! ”Regenerate the bones and renew the flesh? The loved ones will be with you again?” The writer sure had a sick mind and really loved his undead creations. Francis was right to doubt the suspicious writing. But you destroyed creator of this Chalice, Angelus; it was that very same lich you guys fought back there..”’

”..All this, for nothing..” Angelus muttered to himself, too tired and frustrated to even get angry.

”My client said that merchant's daughter got some nasty disease when they were visiting Morrowind- not the best place to take a child with, if you ask me, weird things happening in there. Nothing would have saved her,” Christine paused for a moment, ”but I guess you still should be proud of yourself..”

The knight and agent, old rivals, continued to sit in silence, watching as the sun slowly disappeared on the horizon..
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