The Elementals: The Legend of Sword Erzethel

Chapter V: Tarkus, Hero of Mt. Tarak

In the morning, after we had talked to Zasha, we intend to go to Mt. Tarak to look for Tarkus and the staff. On our way out, a tall man suddenly attacked us. He can shoot flames from his mouth. Even more, he is very agile. "Oh crap! What's his problem?" Zureke exclaimed. "Hand over the medallion!" the man said. "Why do we have to hand it over?" Shalma said. "I am Karum, a fire breather. You will give the medallion to me or face your death!" he threatened. "This man is crazy! Nevertheless he is going down!" I shouted. Karum was very strong even for the three of us. We decided to run away and retreat. Fortunately we manage to escape. We ran into the forest. "Whoa! (Exhausted) He won't follow us here." Zureke said. "Are you sure about that, Zureke?" Shalma said. We stopped on a cave to rest for a while. "What do you think he wants with the medallion?" Shalma asked. "I think, he wants to use the power of the medallion for his evil deeds." Zureke said. Karum was sent by a mysterious man on a black hood. This man paid Karum to go after the medallion. Who is this mysterious man? After we had rest, we continue our journey to Mt. Tarak knowing that we have a mercenary fire breather on our tail. We arrived on a little town. There we stopped to get some supplies for our journey. Unluckily, Karum was there. We know of his strength, so we had to avoid him and run as far as we can. On every town we went, Karum was always there. We always had to flee from the town. "Man, he must have a bloodline of a Scarfus --- a Wolf- like creature who has a very strong sense of smell." Zureke exclaimed. It is always the same on every town. We arrived on a town and Karum will come after and attacked us, until our supply is slowly decreasing. "This has got to end!" I said. On the last town we went, we fought Karum but still we were defeated that we again had to flee. But, fortunately, an old man saw us fighting Karum, he went after us and told us that if we want to win over a fire breather, we must know the weakness of a fire breather, and his weakness was Acrexia; a rare form of crex which is found in the rivers. After knowing the weakness of a fire breather, we hurriedly went to find a river. We found a river nearby but Karum was already unto us. We fought him but we are weak against him. "Zureke, go find an acrexia and put acrexia on your weapon and strike him, while me and Shalma will make a diversion." I said. So, Zureke hurriedly went to the river and got acrexia while I and Shalma make a diversion. Zureke got his weapon armed with acrexia and he struck it straight through the heart of Karum. After that we finally won over him. We then continue our journey to Mt. Tarak.

After the exhausting chase, we arrived at the foot of Mt. Tarak. We noticed that there was a warning sign there. "Hey! Can you read this?" I asked. "It's an ancient Sambalian language. It says "Beware of the guardian!", that's what it means." Shalma said. "So, you're saying that there's a monster guarding the staff?" Zureke said. "From what it says, it seems to be that there is a guardian." I answered. Bearing the warning we climb the Mountain. When we arrived at the top, there was this throne and there the staff lies. When I approach it, I heard a growling sound afar. It was the guardian of the staff. "Prepare for battle, the guardian is here!" Zureke shouted. Then a dragon appears from the sky and seems to be angry. "Whoa! The guardian was a dragon?! Nobody said about dragons!" I exclaimed. "Of course we told you! It's also clear on the warning that a dragon will be waiting!" Zureke said. "How should I know?" Shalma exclaimed. Then the dragon began his attack. Zureke tried to shoot it with acrexia-armed arrows but it was no use. The scales of the dragon were very thick. Shalma also tried to entangle the wings of the dragon with his vines but it was very fast that she can't have the time to trap it. Then I thought about what old hermit Zerul told me, that the medallion possesses an incredible power and I can harness it. I tried to use the medallion, but nothing happened until the dragon hit me and I was on the ground. I accidentally click the blue crystal on the medallion and suddenly I felt an incredible power inside me. I stood up and raised my hand not knowing what's going to happen. Then the skies turned dark in a second and the rain pours. "Wow! I conjured a storm!" I exclaimed. "Ah! This isn't the time to be happy about it, you know!" Shalma said. But the dragon still attacks. I again raised my hand, and a lightning struck the dragon. At last, the dragon stops his attacks. It was weakened by the lightning strike. "Great, how did you do that?" Zureke asked with awe. "I don't know. It just happened; I just felt a strange energy flowing in my body." I replied. Moments later, the dragon glows. "Hey! What's happening to it?" Shalma startled. The light was blinding, and then when the lights disappeared, a man was on the place of the dragon. The dragon transformed into a man. We went to him; we took him to a safe place bringing the staff with us. After the breath taking fight, we found out that the dragon was in fact a shape-shifter.