Fan Fiction ❯ A Fool's Quest ❯ Chapter 3

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

When Thiassi awoke the next morning he was amazed to find that he hadn't been eaten in the night. He wandered down to the main cavern, where Etain and Pisces were already discussing things over breakfast.
"... and rumor through the grapevine says this Kali is raising up an entire army." Pisces finished.
"Any idea where? It's not like it's easy to hide an entire army of people who are supposed to be six feet under."
"I think they mentioned something about the Black Mountains..." Pisces replied.
"What are you two talking about?"
Etain and Pisces turned to look at Thiassi.
"Good morning, Thiassi." Etain said brightly. "Glad to see you're awake. Pisces and I were simply discussing the artifact we're going after." Etain turned to Pisces. "The Black Mountains, eh? They're awfully expansive. Any more details on the location of Kali's area of operation?"
"No, but I plan on coming with you to help look."
"Alright then. I'm going to go get packed. Thiassi eat some breakfast and for goodness sake BRUSH YOUR HAIR!" Etain cried as she headed down a flight of stairs on the opposite side of the cavern.

After a few hours of insults and complaints about the placement of fish, Thiassi, Etain, and Pisces had set out for the Black Mountains. They had decided that going by air was the fastest and safest way to travel. Thiassi had at first been opposed to the idea, but had been convinced about how idiotic it would be to try to scale the Black Mountains on foot, much less locate a hidden (or not so hidden, they didn't really know) fortress in them.
The mountains were now passing underneath them and all three were scanning the black, craggy peaks for any sort of fortress. They landed three times before they actually found it. Once because Pisces needed to rest his wings, once because Etain had thought she'd seen the fortress (it turned out to be the hut of a very cranky hermit, who chased them off with a stick), and once because Thiassi had to puke. Finally, however, they did reach the forest. When they landed all three took the liberty of puking.
The rank smell made Thiassi's stomach turn. He felt so ill he could barely participate while Etain and Pisces plotted how to get in.
"I say we sneak in dressed as gaurds.."
"That won't work! Pisces, I don't think they have any blue dragons running around as guards. I think we should..."



"Run in and blow up everything that gets in our way? I don't think so! We need to be methodical!"
"Why not have me and Etain go in dressed as guards and you go in through that window on the side, Pisces?" Thiassi pointed. Indeed, there was a window on the side.
Etain blinked.
"Lord knows what that window's doing there, but thats not a half bad idea Thiassi!"
Thiassi felt very intelligent and useful. The plan created few problems who easily slipped in after mugging two guards for their uniforms. The next problem was to find the amulet. Pisces would create a distraction for them.
"Etain?" Thiassi whispered.
"Yeah? What?"
"Well, I've been thinking..."
"That's very good for you. I'm proud."
"What does this amulet you want do? I'm assuming you were lying about it being your mother's."
Etain looked slightly taken aback, but soon recovered.
"Ah, making complex inferences now, are we? I was lying about it being my mother's. The Rising Moon, that's what it's called, can revive the dead, and as long as you wear it, you can't die." Etain explained.
"Why would you want something like that?"
"My personal matters are none of your buisness." Etain snipped.
The two rounded the corner into a majestic throne room. Luckily no one noticed them quickly slip back around the corner and peak out.
There were three people in the room, two men in white robes and a woman who looked ill. Thiassi looked inquisitively at Etain, whose intense stare was locked on the woman. Thiassi looked again at the woman, but nothing stood out so he let his gaze wander.
It seemed like a very important room. The furnishing was fancy and the woman was sitting on a jewel encrusted throne. Thiassi was, however, confused that such a regally furnished room had a dirt floor. His head started to hurt so he stopped thinking about it.
"Thiassi!" Etain hissed. "When those men leave we're taking the amulet."
"Yes. It's around that woman's neck."
Thiassi looked, and, sure enough, an amulet fitting Etain's description was around her neck.


It was a long time before the men left. A very, very long time. Etain had already come up with fifteen possible escape routes from what she'd seen of the fortress. She'd also invented a hundred different alibis for what she was doing with something that obviously belonged to "Dark Lady Kali", which was what all the guards and servents who weren't zombies called her. All she needed now was a plan.



She could go in there slinging spells like a psychopath, but Kali probably had sorcery skills to match her own. That, and Thiassi was a blundering buffoon who would waltz right through her line of fire. Not that his safety mattered, of course, but he might get in her way. It could work, but it would be a big gamble.
She could try stealth and-
"Go away!"
Etain froze. Had that fool Thiassi blown her cover? She shot an angry look around, but he was right were she'd left him, looking startled.
"Be quiet! Go away, you foul voices! Leave me be!"
Etain peeked into the room. The sorceress was suprised at what she saw.
Kali was rolling around on the floor, tearing at her hair. She clawed at her face and dug her nails into the ground. She wailed like a banshee at unseen persons.
"Leave me be, you foul voices!" Kali cried. "Let me be at peace!"
Etain decided that this was an excellent opportunity. She would use her foe's delusions to gain the advantage. Etain turned to Thiassi and explained her plan.

As Kali writhed around on the floor, Thiassi snuck by the woman. His was simple. Get the amulet, and get out. It was, however, a little disappointing. When she got that shine in her eyes that she had a plan, Thiassi thought it was going to be an exciting one.
Thiassi snuck past the woman writhing on the ground and towards the stool where the amulet lay. He picked it up and started to walk back. On the way back he was less careful. For all the excitement of coming here, it seemed very anticlimactic that it should end so easily.
As Thiassi mentally wallowed in disappointment, Kali stopped thrashing about on the floor. Thiassi didn't notice. Kali was now muttering to herself and concentrating on a place a few feet ahead of Thiassi.
The ground started to shake, and Thiassi tripped. Etain jumped out from behind the corner, chanting. The ground stopped shaking and a line of fire shot twords Kali. Kali rose to her feet, barely avoiding the flames.
"Thiassi, bring the amulet to me NOW!" Etain commanded.
Kali, no longer a raving mess, shot a look of pure poison at Etain.
"Boy, please bring me that amulet. That witch over there would use it for her own evil purposes. Bring it to me." Kali's voice was surprisingly calm and sweet now that she wasn't raving like a mad man. It was so gentle it almost made him want to go to her.
"Thiassi!"
Thiassi shook the feeling and continued making his way across the room to Etain.
"Did I stutter, boy? What was it again? Oh, yes, Thiassi . Did I stutter, Thiassi, or are you too stupid to tell when someone is talking to you unless they use your name? Either way, I told you to bring me the Rising Moon!" The tenderness was gone from Kali's voice. It was so bitter that it made Thiassi freeze dead in his tracks.





"Thiassi! Bring it to me!" Etain's voice was almost as bitter as Kali's.
"Give me the amulet!" Kali screeched.
Both sorceresses began to chant, but Kali was faster. The ground shook, more violently then the last time, and two lines of fire shot forward from where Kali was standing.
Thiassi lost his footing, and the amulet lept from his hands. He managed to roll out of the fire's path just as it passed. The amulet was not so lucky. Just as it had hit the ground the fire had ripped through it.
"It's gone..."
"You stupid little man!" Kali screeched.
Thiassi watched as the two sorceresses bickered. Neither of them noticed Pisces come in. Pisces had scratches covering his body and looked tired and exasperated. He took one look around and walked over to the bickering sorceressses. Pisces bit off Kali's head and then headed for a corner of the room with the rest of her body.
"I'm hungry."
The wide-eyed Thiassi followed Etain's lead and simply nodded.
"So what are you going to do now?" Thiassi asked.
"Dunno." Etain shrugged.
"Sorry I broke the amulet..."
"Doesn't matter. He- It's gone now."
The two sat in the abbreviated silence of Pisces eating.
"Besides," Etain said, standing up, "I'll find something else to do. I'm too zealous to stay in one place for to long. I'll bounce back." The grin decorated her face. "Take care of yourself Thiassi, and don't take any wooden nickles."
Thiassi watched as Etain strode over to Pisces, who was just finishing up.
"Uh... Etain?" Thiassi called sheepishly.
Etain glanced over her shoulder.
"Yes, Thiassi? What do you want?
"Could I have a ride off this mountain, please?"
"Thiassi, you grade A moron." Etain sighed. "Get on,"






-----------------------------------------------D.O.E. speaks--------------------------------------------------------------------- -----
ends something I wrote for English. Yes, I know the title and the summary for it sucked. Oh, and a word to the wise: UNLESS YOU LOVE TO MOCK BAD DUBS NEVER, I REPEAT, NEVER, WATCH BATTLE OF THE PLANETS. *cough* D.O.E. has spoken. Death to 7-Zark-7 and 5-Rover-5.