The Unsettled Warrior

Where it begins...

It was a hot day in the sands of Alseik, in the region of Cloying Wastes. Icedicles had been woken up by the buzzing crowd gathering in the market centre. Unbeknown to him, there was a company in town, the FBP (familiar breeding programme) to help restore the populace of some of the regions sparsely populated familiars.

"That's right folks, 15gold pieces for anyone that can capture and bring back any live specimens of Lustrous Shorthairs". "Wow", Icedicles thought to himself. "15 gold!" After finally rolling out of bed and donning his elegant yet tight fitting Karasha armor, crafted by the god himself, he rushed out to see his friend Darcy. Darcy was a familiar expert and explained to Icedicles that his best bet to taming these beautiful familiars was to speak to an old friend of his, Captain Arl at the Dustwind Basin and to offer him this vial of a black, gooey substance.

Icedicles could hardly contain himself for he was broke and could never get a break. For some reason in the world of Velzeroth nobody would ever talk to him. The few people he would see each day on his adventures would pass him by without even acknowledging his existence so the excitement of actually going to see someone who, in his heart of hearts, knew would actually talk to him was enough to get his heart pounding.

The journey would be long so Icedicles packed few belongings, mostly water, his trusted greatsword, inscribed with the name "Corruption" and some bandages. His most trusted familiar Triton, a silver daiku he raised from an egg was eager to get going. Icedicles climbed aboard the little dragons back and took flight, soaring high up into the air, and gliding onward to their destination.

It wasn't long before they were accosted by an assailment of gargoyles. Zipping past rocky cliff faces, narrowly succumbing to the dangers of the desert sun they flew harder but they were persistent. Icedicles counted at least 4 following. "Come on Triton, we must lose them!". Triton flapped those little wings so hard, flitting past dagger like formations and then going into a tiny gap, suddenly dropping to a deadfall, plunging 200m straight down and swooping near the bottom of a dark canyon like structure, they flew out of the cliffs, clipping a low rock, sending both Icedicles and Triton out onto the hot desert plains, coming to a halt in the swirling sands.

Icedicles got to his knees and looked about. There was 4 men wearing plate like armor with one approaching at pace. "Greetings, young man. Might ye be ok?" "Yes" stammered Icedicles, looking back to see Triton licking his foot then suddenly chasing a lizard. "My name is Icedicles and I have come in search of a man known as Arl". "That would be Captain Arl, and that is I" said the burly figure in front of him "and what can I do for you?".

Icedicles explained that their mutual acquaintance Darcy had sent him to gather information on capturing lustrous shorthairs when Captain Arl let out a slight chuckle. "Icedicles, my young friend, it has been many a year since I was chasing those pesky kittens and harnessing their magic but alas, I will try and see if I can conjure something up for you but for now, sit, rest and have a meal with us. In the morn we shall see what we can do".

The wind had picked up and was howling outside their tent, faint noises could be heard amongst the snoring of Triton. Icedicles eyes stirred and he crawled over to the opening of his tent, lifting it up. Red eyes, glaring back, Icedicles yelled out "we're under attack!", grabbing Corruption from his bedside he rolled out of the tent to aid the others who were already fighting off the small horde of bony human-like figures. "Rrawh!" roared Icedicles as he sliced upwards at a foe, who seemed intent on taking his head off. Huge blows raining down, one after the other, dodging, weaving and striking back were proving fruitless until Icedicles saw an opening. Right on the upper shoulder were two bright pulsating crystals and with quick agility he spun, flipped and diced downward onto this crystal, shattering it and with that the collapse of his enemy. It wasn't long before the small group of men had dispatched the last of them. "What were they?" Icedicles asked Captain Arl. "I'm not sure, I have never seen them before and don't wish to again. In the morning we shall see to getting you what you want and I want you gone, you have a bad aura about you. We have never been attacked in 7 months of being out here and you show up and bring these, these demons with you!"

Icedicles could hardly sleep that night but was stirred by Triton making noises at the tent entrance, presumably for food. He fed Triton and went over to Captain Arl, trying not to speak of the events of the night but handing him the vial that Darcy gave him. "This, this is why they came! You should have given me this last night, it needs to be kept in a special way or it, well, you saw what it lured here." Icedicles apologized as he did not know. He watched as the Captain chanted something in the Durian tongue that he did not understand, taking out a mortar and pestle and crushing some green, leafy plant that smelled of mint with the black liquid he was given by Darcy. When the Captain had finished talking there was a shining, pulsing energy coming from hos concoction. "Alas! It has worked, come here my boy". Icedicles strode over, bringing Corruption with him. "This is a smell that is sure to let your blade let the shorthairs know who is boss, weaken them with your blade and you just might be able to be their master.

To be continued.....