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Additions to the continuing epic should be posted here. Questions and comments regarding the CCRP should be posted in this thread.

Let the adventure continue!

Sir Kohran wrote:Santis was surprised. "But it'll take us that long to leave this place, and we've got the Cavaliers serching for us, along with those...things..."

"We'll take horses."

"But our horses are gone." Jaythus protested.

"They'll be back." came the flat reply.

Grid: K-10
Location: Several miles outside Orion

Santis and Viktor looked at one another with raised brows. They both had just about had it with this tyco wizard’s vagueness.

“How do you know they’ll be --” Viktor began, but then his eyes widened in disblief. Solesstorn’s black mount could just be seen on the horizon, galloping toward them. Behind it was Viktor’s dappled brown-and-tan mare, and Santis’ gray warhorse. Solesstorn said nothing as the three horses approached. His mount trotted up to him, whinnying. It looked calm, but Viktor and Santis’ horses still looked frightened. Viktor wasn’t sure, but he almost thought that they had been guided here against their will.

“Hurry up.” snapped Solesstorn, pulled the reigns on his horse, “We mustn’t delay.”

“But what about me?” said Jaythus.

“Get up behind me.” said Santis gruffly, carefully mounting his warhorse.

Solesstorn shook his head.

“No. Jaythus, come, up behind me. Santis weighs as much as two persons would, plus there is the additional wieght of armor. His beast could not hold both of you.

Santis scowled darkly, but said nothing. Hesitating, Jaythus clambered up behind Solesstorn. Viktor also mounted his own horse. Solesstorn looked quickly about.

“Good. Come along.” he said, and he dig his heels into his horse. The beast leapt forward, and Santis and Viktor followed.

Lord_Of_The_LEGO wrote:“Tomorrow,” instructed Lord Void, pouring both of them a glass of Guardendia Innis he has ‘acquired’ from the Ball, “You will return to the Fire Breathing Fortress construction site and observe the progress. Send me a report within three days.”

Grid: G-10
Location: Construction site of the Fire Breathing Fortress

Caimlin would have enjoyed the short trip to the construction site much better if it hadn’t been for one factor: Elsa Byrd. Caimlin had already swung up on his mount and was trotting toward the Grolling Fortress gates when a shrill voice called,

“Oh, dahing Comma-Win, wait up!”

Caimlin’s insides went cold. Bracing himself, he turned about in his saddle and looked behind him. Inside a white-linen litter carried by four hulking slaves sat the eccentric architect, sipping ice tea.

“Are -- are you coming -- to the fortress?” gulped Caimlin.

“My God, Cam-Tin, of course I’m coming! I must see how my fortress has advanced!” Elsa Byrd exclaimed, flashing a wide grin that was nothing but perfectly white teeth.

Caimlin managed a weak smiled.

“Very good…” he said.

Two agonizing days later, Caimlin, with Elsa Byrd’s entourage in tow, at last came upon the construction site of the Fire Breathing Fortress. While Elsa Byrd dictated the slaves in the proper setting-up of her pavilion, Caimlin escaped and sought out Thorinsburg, the Dragon Master who had been in charge while Caimlin had been at the Emperor’s Ball.

Thorinsburg saluted crisply and said, “Welcome back, sir!”

“Thank you, Thorinsburg.” nodded Caimlin, “How progresses things?”

“As fast as can be expected, sir,” said Thorinsburg, “Slaves have cleared away nearly all the rubble, and now they’ll flattening and marking out the footprint of the new fortress. There is a problem, though…” Thorinsburg ended carefully.

Caimlin raised a brow.

“And that is?”

“This way, sir…”

Thorinsburg led Caimlin through weaving masses of slaves and large piles of flaky stone. Almost at once Caimlin could see was Thorinsburg was talking about. Near the center of the construction site was a giant mass of stone and metal. It was at least twenty feet high, and just as long.

“What…?” Caimlin began, looking hard at the jumbled mass, “How’d this happened?”

“I think when the Fortress was destroy by BloodVaine -- Chodan curse him forever -- all the metal in the fortress superheated and welded huge chunks of stone together.”

Caimlin nodded. He reckoned Thorinsburg was right. It did indeed look like the rocky mass had been ‘welded’ together.

“The slaves can’t move it.” continued Thorinsburg, “We’ve tried everything: levers, pulleys, chipping it into bits -- nothing worked.”

Thorinsburg looked at Caimlin carefully.

“We need Lord Void’s power.”

Caimlin nodded slowly.

“I see. I’ll contact him immediately.”

Lord_Of_The_LEGO wrote:Dale stumbled back over to where he had forced himself out of the oppressive ground. His grave site. In the upturned earth, he sat footprints. They were not his own. Dale looked up. The print went up that way, following a faint trail. There must be a town nearby. With one last look at his ‘grave’, Dale began to unsteadily follow the trail.

Grid: P-10
Location: Entering the Dark Forest village of Hemmerington

Dale was disoriented, befuddled, and very weak. And so, when he stumbled into the outskirts of the Dark Forest village of Hemmerington, he looked very much like the zombie that Erik Korvalt had feared was coming.

“There it is!” shrieked Erik.

Dale looked blearily around. It looks like he had a welcoming party. A tough-looking Dark Forester with a scar and a squint drew out his sword and approached Dale wearily. It was Corporal Jarva. At that moment Dale’ felt excruciatingly tired. He didn’t want to deal with anything now…not hostile natives, nothing. He was hurt and confused and he had no energy to explain. And so his eyes rolled up into his skull and he collapsed like a sack. The small crowd of Dark Foresters let out a sigh of surprise. Corporal Jarva stepped forward, a curious expression on his, and poked Dale none-to-gently with the tip of his sword. Blood gushed.

“Enough of this!”

Healer Melkan stepped forward.

“He’s clearly living, Corporal, though just barely. Don’t make my job harder by lacerating the poor fellow!”

Corporal Jarva stepped back and nodded slowly. He sheathed his sword.

“Of course, Healer.”

As Corporal Jarva retreated, sending a glare Erik’s way, Healer Melkan knelt by the prone form and gently rolled Dale over.

“Alice!” he called, “Fetch my bag, and quickly!”

Alice Clooney, a girl of early twenties and Melkan’s apprentice, nodded and left quickly. Healer Melkan gently brushed crusted dirt from Dale’s face, murmuring under his breath. Mistress Korvalt, after reprimanding her son Erik, came forward also and knelt.

“That Erik!” she sighed, exasperated, then looked a Dale, a concerned look on her face.

“He looks like he’s been living under a rock.” she said.

Healer Melkan grunted.

“Bad shape, he’s in. Needs nourishment, and sun. Lots of sun.”

Alice returned, hefting Melkan’s bag.

“Good girl.” nodded Melkan, shoving his hand into the bag at once, “What say you, Alice?”

Alice looked over Dale quickly, he smooth hands running over the gray skin.

“He’s horribly malnourished.” she said at once, “And he’s been idle for too long. His muscles are lax, like an old man’s who’s taken to bed.”

Melkan nodded approval, quickly cleaning and bandaging the small wound on Dale’s upper arm that Corporal Jarva had inflicted.

“Anything else?”

Alice pulled away Dale’s rotten shirt and examined the jagged scar.

“It’s a wonder he lived after taking such a wound to the chest.” she said.

Melkan bent forward, squinting keening at the scar. He placed he hand over the scar.

“A wonder indeed.” he said quietly, “Nothing short of magic…that’s exactly where his heart is.”

“Will he live?” asked Mistress Korvalt.

“He will live.” said Melkan, “But it will take time. He is severely weak. He’ll need a place to stay.” he added.

“I have a room available.” Mistress Korvalt volunteered immediately, “It’s the least I can do after what my fool son Erik did…”

Healer Melkan nodded, hiding a smile.

“Very good. Alice, if you take he legs, we can carry this poor fellow to Mistress Korvalt’s now…”

J-10 Outskirts of Orion

The following day Valric decided to begin his journey. He didn’t know Rodney or Jother well enough to trust them fully but if they wanted to come, he wouldn’t stop them. Theodore said he still needed some time before he could face his King in Castleton.

Many of the guests from the Ball had either left or were making preperations to go. The four had bought four stout horses that would survive a trip deep into Fright Knight lands.

As the four horsemen galloped through the streets of Orion they attracted many onlookers. Many knew Sir Valric the Slayer of the Ghoul of Orion. General Colger and the troubadour Sir Rodney also got a few stares themselves.

Soon the three knights in armour and Jother in his bright red suit became smaller and smaller on the horizon.

Once they reached a distant hilltop Valric reigned his horse to take one last look at the Golden City. He had gotten the nagging suspicion someone present might never see it again…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Belzzar woke abrubtively. “Will you keep that bloody dragon steady!!!!!!!” He hissed at the windship pilot.

“Sorry master…”

The pilot muttered under his breath. The moment the two windships had entered Fright Knight lands the weather had gone rotten. They had to make a wide detour as dark storm clouds seemed to cover all the land around Castle Dracul.

Thunder boomed in the distance in all directions. Belzzar’s eyes darted around uneasily he had been clutching his Bat Staff with a death grip. Ocasionally he would mutter something in the spidery language of magic, making the translusent red staff glow brightly.

He would fall into a fit of rage or a panic attack when the warmth giving light vanished. Radu believed the paranioa of Pythos had finally destroyed the Count’s mind…

Lord_Of_The_LEGO wrote:“We need Lord Void’s power.”

Caimlin nodded slowly.

“I see. I’ll contact him immediately.”

Grid: G-10
Location: Majisto’s Workshop

Lord Void crested a hill and looked down on a forlorn building. It was Majisto’s Workshop. It’s namesake and owner dead for over a year, it had fallen into disrepair, with no new wizard appointed to manage it’s upkeep. It had survived BloodVaine’s brutal magical winter, but that was when two very powerful wizards had occupied it, and when it was in their best interest in keeping the building intact. But now, few, if any, were interested in the upkeep of the workshop. Now, away from any beaten path, the workshop was beginning to succumb to the nature around it. Gouging wind had pulled away wooden shingles, and fogged the windows with grit. The ‘launch-pad’ of sorts located next to the workshop was nearly completely immersed in sand.

But Lord Void didn’t care. His robe leaving streaks in the sand, he approached the door and muttered the appropriate incantations. Then, from deep beneath the folds of his cloak, or perhaps from the air itself, Lord Void withdrew a key, and inserted it into the lock. He turned it, and the door unlocked with a click. Lord Void placed his thin had upon the door and pushed. The door remained closed. Lord Void pushed harder. Nothing. Sighing, Lord Void muttered something else and the door exploded inward, shoved by a surge of magic. It banged against the wall and sent a cloud of dust into the air. Lord Void entered the cloud, emerged from the other side into the main room of the workshop, and wiped his monocle on his robe.

What a dreary place it was, and in such shambles. Books, tomes and scrolls were spread across the large center table haphazardly, dust think on all of them. Lord Void idly inspected an ink bottle that had been carelessly left open. It’s contents had dried solid within. With a grunt of annoyance, Lord Void tossed it away. It landed in the barren fireplace, when it shattered amongst the ghost-gray ashes.

Lord Void pushed aside a book, clearing a space on the table, and then turned to examine the large bookshelf that spanned an entire wall. It was jammed full of books, and was so tall it required a mobile ladder that slid on wheels, guided by a rail, to reach the books on the upper shelves.

Lord Void squinted at the books. Most of them were spell books, useless to him, or chronicles of mystical tales and valiant heroes demonic beasts -- also useless. But a few, a bare few, were what he was looking for: records. Specifically, military records. Lord Void was luckily, actually, that any of these existed. A full library of records had been located in the Fire Breathing Fortress, but all of these had been obliterated along with the fortress when BloodVaine had overreacted to an attack from the sorcerer Drock and detonated the place. However, long before BloodVaine had begun his first vile moves toward world domination, Majisto had requested certain records be copied from the Fortress library and placed here. Lord Void never found out why Majisto had wanted this, but it didn’t matter now.

Like a wraith, Lord Void lightly ascended the ladder and swept the three record books under a long arm. He slid off the ladder and placed the books on the table. He then began to leaf through them. It didn’t take him long to find the entry he was looking for.

The recruit Ajaxx, according to record, was an able and eager recruit. After being drafted into the Dragon Master army in 1988, Boriansian Division, Ajaxx was soon promoted to Corporal, then, Sergeant, then Lieutenant within three years. In 1992, when border disputes with the Ninjas began, Ajaxx was assigned to the front lines.

Lord Void’s finger ran quickly through the report, picking out details. Promoted to Captain after the Battle of Ogden’s River, in 1994. Promoted to Major in 1995 after routed an enemy attack and saving the Dragon Masters from a humiliating defeat. Awarded the Dragon’s Blood Metal in 1996 after retaking the Northern Maddek outpost and saving a Brigadier-General from assassination.

Lord Void’s finger stopped. Ah, now this was interesting:

In 1997, reprimanded and transferred for disobeying and insulting a superior officer, a one, Brigadier-General Barkins.

Lord Void contemplated this, then continued.

In 1998, the Ninja border disputes escalated, and casualties were high on both sides. Half of the Dragonsbane Brigade was decimated, and many soldiers were transferred over from other divisions to fill the void. Major Ajaxx was one of them. The leader of the Dragonsbane Brigade, a one Jorge Dragonsbane, promoted Ajaxx quickly. And then Jorge Dragonsbane was killed. And Ajaxx, newly promoted to the highest living ranking officer, became the new Dragonsbane.

Lord Void sat back, thinking. Then he bent forward quickly, and leafed through the book looking for another entry: Barkins. After skimming through most of the entry, he soon came to understand one thing: Barkins was a wizard. And, as Void continued to dig, looking in other past military records, he found out another thing: Ajaxx hated magic. Vehemently.

Lord Void leaned back. This is interesting, most interesting indeed…

There was a scratching outside the window of the workshop. Lord Void looked up. It was a pigeon. And something was tied to it’s leg. Lord Void rose, wrenched open the window, pulled off the bit of paper tied to the bird’s leg and unfolded it.

My Lord Void,

I have overviewed the construction site and I am glad to report all is on schedule. There is, however, an obstruction that requires your powerful magic to remove. Thorinsburg says that construction will soon come to a halt if this is not dealt with. I respectfully request that Milord proceed at once to the construction site to aid us with your magic.

-- Caimlin.

At the very bottom, written in pinkish loops:

Elsa Byrd says hello, dahling!

Lord Void folded up the paper. He looked back at the table where the books lay. He had found out all he could from here. Without another glance, Lord Void exited the workshop, slamming the door behind him, reinitiating the protection spells. Time to go to the Fire Breathing Fortress…

Grid: L-9
Location: Crusader Countryside

Lord_Of_The_LEGO wrote:The going was slow, unhurried, and calm. Sir Dractor slept most of the time, the rhythmic swaying of the litter not disturbing him. However, when he did awake, he could be certain that one of three persons would always be there, watching: Bjarn, Thomas and Luxus. And thus, when Sir Dractor awoke on the fifth day a travel, the first thing he saw was the anxious eyes of Luxus.

"Luxus?" said Sir Dractor weakly, his brain comprehending the face in front of him. "What's wrong?" The boy, who hadn't noticed he was awake, gave a start.

"Sir Dractor!" he gasped. "It was, uh, nothing much."

"Don't," said Sir Dractor, "be ridiculous." Luxus flushed.

"Well," he said, "I was feeling sorry, I guess. I was pretty mad at you after you left. You promised to try and teach me to fight. I got over it, but I was feeling kind of guilty, seeing you lying here, all sick and weak."

"It was my fault," said Sir Dractor, "for saying something that I should have known wouldn't be likely to happen."

"It could have happened," said Luxus. "You're training Thomas now, aren't you? Not that it matters," he said hastily, with a furtive glance in Thomas' direction, "because I like being with Aros all the time. But it COULD have happened."

"Yes, I suppose it could," admitted Sir Dractor. "You like being with Aros then?"

"Yeah," said Luxus, "he's a great brother. So is Reno, for that matter, but Reno's a little too... busy. He's got Shainya and he's been having to heal people and stuff. Aros gets to just hang out with you. Sometimes..." Luxus grew hesistant, "I worry that Aros will get like Reno. That he'll find someone more important, and that he'll get himself other jobs that are more important."

"I shouldn't worry too much," said Sir Dractor, taking a long breath before continuing. "Aros will look after you. And it's just as well if he finds a lady, isn't it? It means another member in your family. Families are very important, Luxus, and Aros knows that. Even if he finds love, he'll keep an eye on you, as long as you need it."

Sir Dractor closed his eyes, and looked like his about to doze off again, but after a breath he continued.

"Even if Aros can't teach you as much as I could, it's better that he's teaching you. Your family has been through so much, Luxus, that any strengthening of your family bonds is good. Never let them weaken."

"I don't want to," said Luxus. "They're all I've got. But you're a part of it too, now. You and Bjarn, and Shainya, of course. You're all a part of the family."

Sir Dractor smiled, quite contentedly, and after a moment asked a question.

"So where are you and Aros off to now?"

"I don't know," said Luxus, "I don't know if Aros does either. We'll go wherever, I guess. Maybe Ninjara. I'd like to go there. Because of family."

"Family," nodded Sir Dractor in agreement, before slipping off into contented sleep.

Grid: J-10
Location: Small glade outside Orion

It was dark, the sun had set two hours ago and Takemasa had no wish to stride around the dark forest very long. Takemasa had followed his falcon from Orion but now he finally reached his destination. He walked into a small glade with nothing but a campfire and a man. He didn´t see the man clearlybut as he got closer the fire illuminated him and showed him to be a Legolander. Takemasa stopped and froze with his hand on his dagger. What the shifty brick was this supposed to mean! He swallowed and began to walk slowly backwards but he kept gazing at the Legolander who just sat calmly by the fire. Takemasa grabbed his dagger harder and he felt the sweat streaming down his face. Megabloks, I´m weak, he thought and he felt a great rage rise inside him. His fear turned to anger and isntead of continuing to back off he stopped and put out a bo-shuriken. He gazed at the Legolander and threw the shuriken toward him. The Legolander evaded it without any problems and then he began to laugh. Takemasa had drawn his dagger but now he stopped, not quite sure what to do. The Legolander continued to laugh but then he said with a calm voice:

"Far to obvious, Takemasa-chan. Don´t show me what you´re going to do."

Takemasa stared at the Legolander and then he began to laugh as well. The Legolander stood up and walked up to him. They hugged each other and Takemasa said:

"I thought I knew all of your tricks by now, brother."

Hidemitsu let go of his brother and smiled at him.

"How would you, Takemasa-chan? Every technique I perform is unique, every move is new and so it is with everything. There is no end to the techniques and possibilities. This is nothing but one variation of the infinite mass of possibilities, brother. Remember that."

Takemasa nodded.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"I´ll enter the city and try to find him. But first we´ll rest here tonight."

"And what about me?" Takemasa demanded.

"You´ll stay here and prepare an encampment for us."

"OK... But I still wonder, brother: What´s so impo..."

Hidemitsu cut him off midsentence: "We´ll have time to talk later, Takemasa-chan. Now you´ll need some sleep."

Takemasa frowned. "But..."

"It´s a beautiful night." Hidemitsu turned around and walked toward the woods. "Sleep well, Takemasa-chan." Then he disappeared into the darkness.

Takemasa stared at the spot where he´d been. Tyco! Why did I of all persons get an enigmatic brother who never tells you anything?´

J-10
Location: Orien

There was a breeze blowing through the high bamboo trees, and Kor gratefully lifted back his sweaty head and let his unusual blonde hair blow back from his face.

He was standing in a small patch of trees, and he could still hear his six year old sister counting; “Twenty seven… twenty eight… twenty nine… thirty. Here I come! Ready or not!”

Kor quickly ducked down a little lower in the bushes as he saw his sister coming closer, but suddenly, she stopped and turned around, then started running back over the hill towards the place their house was.

“Hah. She’ll never find me now.” He thought, as his sister disappeared over the crest of the hill.

But something wasn’t right, there was a large column of smoke from were his house was, too large for it to be coming out of his house’s chimney.

As he emerged from his hiding place, he saw his sister running back over the hill, screaming. A tall man in a black cloak rose up behind her, sword in hand.

Kor tried to yell out a warning, but no sound came from his mouth. He watched helplessly as the man mercilessly drove the katana through his sister’s back. The man didn’t seem to notice the small boy frozen with terror at the edge of the grove of trees, but instead, dropped his blood stained sword on the grass, picked up the small crumpled body, and walked over the hill again.

Kor watched him disappear, in his rage, he wanted to run after him, but he couldn’t move.

After what seemed like forever, he slowly moved towards the top of the hill, when he reached it, he cautiously peeked over. As he did he let out a cry of anguish; where the house used to be, there was a pile of ashes, next to which were the blood covered bodies of his mom, dad and sister.

Kor turned away and stumbled blindly down the hill. He tripped and fell near the bottom, tearing the flesh off his knees, but he didn’t care. He just lay there. He didn’t care about anything, he wanted to die. The Katana the man had dropped laid there, the red of the blood contrasting the green grass. Kor half stumbled, half crawled over to it and picked it up. It was a fine sword, very light, with a golden dragon on the hilt.


Kor awoke in a cold sweat.

It had been eleven years since his parents were murdered, but now it felt as if it was yesterday. Hurts that he had tried so long to forget, came back like a flood.

He stood up and began to pace the small room he had rented, than sat down on the bed. There so many things he wanted to know, so many things that didn’t make sense. He wanted to believe that the dragon was just a symbol, a brand, that his parents were just killed by outlaws. But he knew it wasn’t so.

Lord_Of_The_LEGO wrote:Lord Void folded up the paper. He looked back at the table where the books lay. He had found out all he could from here. Without another glance, Lord Void exited the workshop, slamming the door behind him, reinitiating the protection spells. Time to go to the Fire Breathing Fortress…

Grid: G-10
Location: construction site of the Fire Breathing Fortress

Lord Void, limited by the crude but powerful Earth Magic, did not have the ability to teleharm anymore. However, there were many was around this minor annoyance. Dragons, for one.

Walking swiftly, his black robe leaving long streaks in the sand, Lord Void returned to the Grolling Fortress. He didn’t both stopping at his quarters; he immediately went to the dragon stables and ordered the flustered stable master to prepare a mount for him. While the stable master began shouting orders and curses at the numerous stable boys, Lord Void retreated slightly, his cool gaze making everyone in the stone (wood could be set on fire by a dragon’s whim) building.

To their credit, the stable boys and master saddled up a fine black-scaled dragon within five minutes. Without another word, Lord Void swept on top of the dragon, and pressed his exposed feet into the rough haunches of the dragon. Ambling slowly, awkward on land, the dragon bumbled out into the courtyard, almost looking comical. But any sense of humorousness was instantly gone when the dragon spread it’s wings in the expansive courtyard and yowled. Then, with a thrust of it’s wings that spawned a miniature whirlwind, and a spring of it’s powerful rear legs, the dragon, with Lord Void perched on to, shot into the sky like a shot from a trebuchet. The dragon rose swiftly, wings pumping, and then it burst up into an air current, and it glided across the burning sun grandly. With a slight nudge, Lord Void corrected the course of the dragon. He’s reach the within five minutes.

Lord Void could see the construction site before he reached it. An expansive dust cloud was suspended in the air above countless slaves, as the poor souls toiled to level group and carried away the last debris littering the footprint of the fortress-to-be. Lord Void saw at once was Caimlin had requested he come for: a large mass of rock and metal, sitting in the near center of the marked footprint. So, that was all that was needed: a simply job of moving the offending chunk out of the way.

Persons below had seen him now; or, more specifically. There weren’t many loud cries from below, this was Dragonar, after all, Dragon Master land, and dragons were just as frequent as horses. With a touch of his heels and a pull on the reigns, Lord Void put the dragon into a dive, aiming toward a flat, clear spot that lay close to the outline of several pavilions. The dragon shot to the ground, pulled up at the last possible moment, and landed gently, it’s claws finding firm purchase on the ground. Dragon handlers rushed forward to tether the beast, and Lord Void slid off smoothly. Wiping his monocle on his cloak, he nodded at three approaching figures. Two were Dragon Masters. The other was floating.

“Greetings, Caimlin, Thorinsburg, Byrd.” nodded Lord Void calmly.

Elsa Byrd called “Hello, Dahling!” and returned to sipping ice tea (with a little pink umbrella, of course!), while Caimlin and Thorinsburg bowed.

“Milord,” Thorinsburg began humbly, “I fear there have been…delays…”

“Yes, yes, I see!” snapped Lord Void briskly, “That mountain there refuses to budge, is that it?”

“Yes, milord…” said Thorinsburg, bowing again, “Nothing we’ve done has succeeded in moving it….”

“I see.”

And without a further word, Lord Void strode toward the mass of stone of metal. Caimlin, Thorinsburg and Elsa Byrd followed. When Lord Void was about eighty paces from the mass, he raised his arms, squinting. Then, with a grunt and a swift muttering of goblin-runes, he thrust his arms upward. With an earth-shattering rumbled, the mass of stone and metal was wrenched bodily from the ground. All within a hundred yards were thrown to their feet except Lord Void and Elsa Byrd. Seemingly without effort, Lord Void rose the mass higher, completely lifting it’s entire bulk above the ground.

“Where to, Thorinsburg?”

“Er, er--!” stuttered Thorinsburg, surprised the mass had been uprooted so easily.

“Over there, milord.” responded Caimlin quickly, pointing, “Beyond those foothills there.”

Lord Void nodded and began to maneuver the mass of stone and metal over the heads of the stunned Dragon Masters and slaves and toward the hills. When the ground began to rise and the foothills began, Lord Void rose the hulk even higher. Then -- suddenly -- horribly -- the mass plummeted back to earth. It didn’t have far to fall, but it fell hard. Very hard. Again, everyone was thrown to their feet. And Lord Void was among them. Shock waves surged through the ground. The pavilions collapsed and the dragon Lord Void had ridden shrieked in fright. It’s tail whipped about, flattening several hapless Dragon Masters. Then it bit through it’s restraining chain -- snapping teeth so blood flowed from it’s mouth -- and took to the sky.

But Lord Void was not paying attention to any of that. He lay on the ground, grit in his eyes, clutching his sides. By Memphistar, the pain! The electric pain! It lanced through him, biting and stinging, just like the time when he had beaten Hadadar to a pulp in the dungeons. And, also like that time, the pain was gone almost instantly. Like it had never been there. But it had. And it had been there a lot longer. The first time, it had only lasted a few seconds, five at the most. But this time it had felt like a minute. Lord Void sat up, groaning.

“Milord!” gasped Caimlin, getting to his feet. Blood flowed from a gash on his forehead.

Lord Void felt horribly weak. And tired, too.

“Is -- that -- far enough?” he said, straining to rise.

“Milord?”

“Did I move that rock far enough for construction to continue?” Lord Void hissed rapidly.

“Er-- yes, milord.”

“Good. Now get someone to rebuild a pavilion. I am to retire. Thorinsburg!”

“Yes, milord?”

“Proceed with construction.”

“Aye, milord.”

As Lord Void stumbled toward the remains of the pavilions, Elsa Byrd floated beside him

“My God, dahling, how hor-rin-doss! Ab-sole-loot-lee hor-rin-doss! Now that’s why you never perform such spells before stretching, dahling! You should always stretch, dahling, like so!”

And, while still in midair, Elsa Byrd demonstrated, doing some gravity-defying jumping-jacks. Lord Void barely noticed. All he wanted was sleep. Then he would contemplate his troubles tomorrow.

++++++++++++++

Not far away from the “crash site”, Japheth lay concealed by some scrub brush. He was wide-eyed, and he was sweating.

“Now that,” he said to himself, “Ajaxx will be most eager learn about.”

And then he crawled away.

Grid: J-10
Location: Outside Orion

Hidemitsu had got up very early this morning. He had left Takemasa sleeping about three hours ago and now he could see the walls of the Capital. The rising sun illuminated the city and Hidemitsu stopped to look at it. It was actually quite beautiful. Well, it was nothing compared to the Emperors palace in his homecountry but impressive never the less.
Hidemitsu sighed and then he continued. He fingered on the hilt of the fake-legolandersword by his side. The hilt was nothing more than a hidden dagger and the scabbard was filled with ash that he could use to blind his enemies.

An hour later he stood in front of the gates of the city. A guard eyed him suspiciously.

"So why did you come walking, and all alone? A man of your station should have plenty of horses and guards, Sir Knight", the guard said with a mocking voice and one hand on the hilt of his sword. The other guard was ready with a spear.

"That is not of your concern, soldier. I could get you killed for less than that. You´re not in a position to intrude upon or mock the intregrity of a Tridentine Knight. So just get out of the way and let Sir Guivelline pass, soldier!" Hidemitsu replied with a hard voice and perfect accent. He stared at the guard with hard eyes and the guard couldn´t meet his gaze. The guard mumbled something and moved.

"Good, soldier. If you had kept refusing I would have been obliged to report it to your superiors. But I´m a generous man and will forget this slight."

He strided past the two guards and into the city without another word and he heard sighes of relief behind him.
He smiled slightly to himself and walked deeper into the city. Now to find that inn...

Santis scowled darkly, but said nothing. Hesitating, Jaythus clambered up behind Solesstorn. Viktor also mounted his own horse. Solesstorn looked quickly about.

“Good. Come along.” he said, and he dig his heels into his horse. The beast leapt forward, and Santis and Viktor followed.

Grid: K-10
Location: Legoland plains

Jaythus knew that they were moving very fast, but he actually felt quite still on Solesstorn's horse, with the wizard's black cloak blowing in front of his face. He looked about him. For a second, he thought he saw a hint of dawn's light creeping over the horizon. But then, it was gone, obscured by a dark cloud. Jaythus groaned quietly. He was injured, hungry and tired. What was even worse, was that he didn't have a clue as to where they were really going, or what they were doing, just that they were being chased by some evil, deadly things in the night. Already, the vast city of Orion was fading into the distance.

Another few minutes passed. Jaythus heard Viktor and Santis talking, but he couldn't make out any words, so he tried to make some conversation with Solesstorn insteead.

"Sol...sir, what are the...things...that are after us?"

"Perhaps it's best if you don't know for know," the wizard replied softly.

"Well, um, I'd feel a lot safer if you'd tell me." Jaythus murmured. Then he felt Solesstorn's steely gaze falling upon him. He tried to avert his own eyes.

"Listen, Jaythus van Hawkonus, the more you know, the more dangerous this whole journey will be. You won't be getting any safer, only more terrified. Those creatures are nothing compared to what He's got in reserve."

The cold words sent shivers down the young ambassador's spine.

"But...who's 'He'?" Jaythus asked slowly.

"You don't want to know," Solesstorn replied sharply. "All you need to know right now is that He has more magic power than you can imagine."

"But...magic doesn't exist...does it? And neither do monsters. That's what I was always told, whenever I was scared of things in my cupboard at night." Jaythus ventured.

"No, Jaythus Van Hawkonus, magic does exist, and so do monsters. Ordinary folk like you aren't told that sort of thing. You're mainly kept in the dark. And for the most part, you all live your lives peacefully, and then die of old age or accident, never knowing of that strange world beyond, of that world that ever encroaches upon the borders of your own world of normality. And if just one thing goes awry, if one fool changes something,those two worlds will collide, and your happy little lives will be destroyed. Forever."

Jaythus shuddered. "So...if one bad thing happens, we're all going to megabloks?"

Solesstorn's gaze softened. "No. Not whilst me and others are here to prevent it. There will always be good people in the world, Jaythus Van Hawkonus, selfless men who will be there to hold back darkness. That's why I'm here."

And with that, he turned back to his riding.

Jaythus felt slightly warmer after that. And then he looked up, and saw a small but determined ray of sunlight breaking through the dark clouds, signalling a new day across Dametreos. He smiled softly.

Grid: J-10
Location: Orion

Hidemitsu looked at the inn before him. This should be it, he thought. It was exactly as Takemasa had told him. He sighed deeply and focused on his role as a Tridentine knight and then he entered.

A barmaid smiled at him as he entered and he smiled politely back at her.

"Can I help you, sir?" She asked and approached him.

He nodded and continued to smile politely. "Yes, I´m searching for a Batlord called Sir Koravan. Can you take me to him?"

"Well, I´m sorry, sir but I can´t. Or well..." She shivered slightly at the thought of offending a Fright Knight but continued: "I could go and ask him if he would like to meet you, sir...?"

"Guivelline de Lyeone, but you don´t need to do that. I´m sure he wouldn´t mind. Just tell me where he stays."

She looked around nervously and glanced at the stairs. "But.."

"You wouldn´t make Guivelline de Lyeone displeased, would you, my dear?" He still smiled and his voice had become a little bit softer. She still looked around nervously and looked like she was trying to say something.

Hidemitsu blew her a kiss and walked to the stairs. When he was there he turned and glanced at the barmaid who hadn´t moved. "Which door?"

She turned around and still had a nervous look on her face. She hesitated for a few moments but then she said in a voice that wasn´t much more than a whisper: "Th-the second one to the right, sir."

"Good girl. Thank you." He turned and began to walk up the stairs. He continued to the right door and stopped in front of it.

Well, you have no reason to stand here all day, he thought and knocked on the door.

J-10
Location: An Inn in Orien

Kor sat on his bed, his sword across his knees. He felt that now, he couldn’t trust anyone, not even Ki-Moe, who in till now, had been considered a friend.

It was getting dark now, and hard to see with no candle. He stood up and began to sheath his sword, when he heard a light nock on the door.

He quietly pulled his sword back out of the sheath and walked to the door, he then opened it a small way and looked out. There, standing alone was a young man, who Kor guessed was a classic by his clothes, he had a sword, but it was sheathed, and he looked harmless enough.

Kor opened the door all the way, but didn’t bother to sheath his katana.

The Classic looked him up and down, then made a small bow and said:

“Hello, I am Sir Guivelline de Lyeone, I presume you are Sir Koravan?”

“Lord Koravan” Kor corrected “But yes, I am he. What do you want?”

Grid: J-10
Location: Orion

Sir Dillon wrote:

Kor opened the door all the way, but didn’t bother to sheath his katana.

The Classic looked him up and down, then made a small bow and said:

“Hello, I am Sir Guivelline de Lyeone, I presume you are Sir Koravan?”

“Lord Koravan” Kor corrected “But yes, I am he. What do you want?”

"Oh, Lord Koravan it is..." Hidemitsu said with a rather dreamy voice. He entered the room and closed the door behind him. Kor looked like he was going to protest at first but he didn´t.
Hidemitsu looked around the room thoughtfully for a few moments and then he spoke again. He dropped his Tridentine accent.

"Well, there´s no need to keep this guise anymore. My name is Kukishinden Hidemitsu. Pleased to meet you, Kor-san." Hidemitsu bowed once again, but this time it was a polite ninjarian bow.

Kor was both shocked and confused but he managed to keep his cool demeanor. He returned the bow and replied:
"I´m honored Kukishinden-san. But who are you, and what do you want?"

Hidemitsu smiled. "I´m here to ask you to join me, Kor-san."

Kor eyed him suspiciously. "Join you? What does that mean? And you still haven´t answered my first question."

"Oh, I´m so sorry, but you do recognize my name, don´t you?" And Kor did, Kukishinden was a shinobi-clan of pirates from the northern parts of the island they shared with the Dragon Masters.

"You want me to become a pirate?" There was a slight hint of irritation in his voice now.

"Well, if that´s what you want to call it. But I´m no selfserving brute. I serve the emperor and ninjarians though the shogun and the nobles don´t view it from that perspective. I want you to join me in my fight for freedom and justice." He caught Kor´s gaze and eyed him seriously.

"But why did you come all the way to Orion for one crewman?" Kor wasn´t as irritated as before but he was still suspicious.

"Your skills with the sword are quite legendary, Kor-san. But that wasn´t what I was looking for, what impressed me was your heart. You´re a good man, Kor-san."

Kor was silent for a few seconds and just met Hidemitsu´s gaze. But before he could answer Hidemitsu continued:

"And what can I offer you in return?"