Friendships in the Mist

The air in the forest was cold in the dead of night, with only the sounds of crickets chirping with the gentle wind. As sleeping birds were nested and various nocturnal animals were about, all was calm in the wood. All of a sudden, a bright flash appeared and a roar broke the stillness of the woods. Then a glowing light traveled across the sky as the sounds of large beating wings caused much of the wild life to panic. It was at that same moment that the sounds of stomping was heard in the distance, and its source made an entrance. A horse as pale as the moon rode through the wood, burdened with a rider in armor and robes atop his saddle. They were both shrouded in an aura of strange energies that seemed to follow their movements. With an enormous blade in hand and a rein in the other, the warrior known as Abaddon was chasing his skyward prey with the intent of reclaimed his fair earned treasure: the Aegis of the Immortal. Many obstacles were strewn in their path as they rode. He noticed a fallen tree that had blocked his way. Without hesitation, he had coiled the mist around him, concentrated the energy and shot it towards the tree, destroying it. Although his steed would have been able to bound it, he was in too much of a rage to lose any more time. For every log or stone that he came across, he would destroy each one with little effort.

As they were chasing down the their target, Abaddon noticed the ground ahead was clearing and the trees were starting to block the night sky. He knew that his sight on the dragon would be lost, and with it his prize. With the last of his stamina and effort, he charged another coil of mists and shot at the drake. The creature let out a small grunt as the projectile landed and increased speed to escape his assailants. Of course the shot wouldn't be enough to even hurt the beast, but it also had another property; Whoever was marked by the mists would never evade Abaddon's sight. With this curse, he would be able to track the drake without even looking at it. "Faster Acherus!", cried the rider. "So that the beast tastes the justified wrath of Avernus!" The steed then let out a shrill whinny as it accelerated through the darkened path. As the surrounding foliage grew dense, it created a tunnel that engulfed the champion and his mount. His senses were on edge as he tried looking what was in front of him. The tunnel was strange as no light or sound came from the outside world; Only the stomping of hooves and his own breath were heard. Even with his vision, he couldn't see where the path was taking him. As the two rode into the endless darkness, he felt as though his target was escaping. "Dire, give us your strength. Make it so we can bring favor towards our house and your people!" At that moment, his prayer was answered as both he and Acherus suddenly felt a torrent of energy. With fresh mana bestowed, they sped through with a speed that even Abaddon had never felt before; Truly the Dire smiled at his endeavors. Just then, Abaddon saw a glimmer of light appearing in the distance. As they drew near he could hear the sounds of the outside world. The light of the stars seemed to aid in his escape from the forest. "Acherus cease!", cried Abaddon as he pulled the harness. Just as the horse obeyed, the warrior widened his eyes to look where his target had led him.

This new land was different than what the lord was used to. He was on a hill that overlooked a wide forest and steep mountains. The night sky had many stars that never seemed to twinkle or lose focus. A large moon that he had never seen before hovered above him, as it casted a light brilliant enough to overwhelm his surroundings. The trees ranged from being lush and beautiful, to decaying and dead. They looked as though they were never touched by destructive hands. The mountains that towered over them contrasted with a deep, violet sheen that made it look as though they were covered in amethyst. Abaddon could hear various noises and calls that came from the forest. Every last one of them sounding unpleasant. Yet even with all this wonder, he was focused on finding the dragon that he had followed. He could sense it nearby, but he didn't know where it was. As he approached the woods, the noises suddenly stopped. He heard a familiar sound come from behind and looked up. Sure enough, his target had come into view. The flying drake soared above him with something glimmering in its maw. Abaddon carefully observed the monster as it glided over the large growth, hoping that its home would be near. At that instant, he saw the beast go toward one of the taller mountains and perched itself on the side. He watched as the dragon climbed up and entered a cave near the peak. "Of course", sighed Abaddon as he signaled Acherus to go. The sounds returned as the two travelers entered the thicket.

The forest seemed more treacherous than its exterior. Branches jutted downward as the ground stank like decay and waste. The mountain appeared much closer than on the hill he came through, but his companion suddenly trotted slower. "Acherus, our goal is at hand. A steed does not need rest now", replied Abaddon. The horse gave an annoyed snort at his rider. He knew that last effort drained most of his steed's strength. He replied, "You may get your rest when we are near the mountain's base." At that, the exhausted horse gained speed. The two traveled onward as the lord thought to himself. "This situation begs for my anguish. Such a pity that life is this desperate to ruin my quest". He looked ahead at the mountain growing near. "This must be another test from Avernus that I must overcome! Perhaps to show my tenacity and tracking prowess". After passing some sickly trees, his mind changed as he stood in a large clearing at the base of his culprit's abode. The mountain was enormous and bared no welcome to its appearance. What little of a path up was too steep for his horse to climb. Abaddon dismounted and ordered the steed to stay till his return. With much agitation, he started climbing.

The wind was picking up as Abaddon held onto the face of the mountain. He looked down to see far he had gotten. Sure enough, he had gotten about half way up the enormous sierra, with about a few kilometers ahead towards a cliff. As he pushed onward, he thought of a plan to enact a form of revenge for his thief. "Perhaps I can kill the monster. A dragon slayer can be quite fitting for a lord". He had gotten so full of himself that he didn't notice the loose stone that he stepped on. His foot gave way as he felt himself starting to fall. He reached for his sword and using his strength drove it on the surface of the cliff. His idea worked as the blade ceased his plummet toward the earth. Collecting his thoughts, he continued up with his sword as an anchor. "What ever fame I am given, no creature or man of any size will shame my household". As he neared the peak, he felt the air getting warmer. Abaddon hoisted himself up the edge and braced himself as a wave of heat blasted against him. Before him was an enormous cave entrance that looked like it was created by the dragon itself. Such a creature of this magnitude could be dangerous. Unsurprisingly, Abaddon wasn't concerned for his own life and only cared for the task at hand. He entered the cave, prepared to do what was necessary to take back his Aegis.

The inside of the cave was steaming and damp with moisture. The lone warrior snuck carefully along the wall to conceal himself as he made his way down. His climb towards the top had exhausted most of his fighting spirit, and the heat surrounding him was sapping more of his stamina the longer he delved in. Unlike his encounter with Roshan, the entire cave was brightly lit from flames that reflected off of the many deposits of minerals he had never seen before. It seemed as though it got brighter the further in he walked, and in the distance he could hear noises of the beast. He had turned a corner and came across an arch over looking an immense light from below. As he neared the edge, his eyes widened from what he gazed upon. It was an enormous chamber that could have fit two castles, and filling up to the edges were countless riches. Piles upon piles of gold and silver flowed like a lake as a collection of gemstones were hoarded against a wall and littering the floor. Various strange artifacts and antiquities were carefully positioned between the two masses as to divide their value. Abaddon had to shield his eyes from the glare of these treasures as it was almost blinding him. The only part of the chamber that wasn't gleaming was a peculiar rock formation and a large path that spiraled around the pit. He only imagined that half of this bounty would dwarf any wealth a king would have in his land. However his thoughts stopped as he noticed a familiar form appear.

A long, slender head protruded from below as a body, tail, and wings followed with it. It had something glowing clenched in its teeth as it strode across its bounty. Its body shined a bright red as it turned to admire its collection. The dragon approached its assortment of jewels and allowed its prize to fall onto the pile. Abaddon clenched his teeth at the sight of his Aegis being treated like a commodity. He then saw the dragon making his way towards the strange formation away from his collections. As it got near, Abaddon thought he could hear small noises that seemed to get louder as the beast neared. The dragon then grabbed the top of the surface and pulled it away. It revealed some stalagmites that created a circle just big enough to create a hollow space. The man watched as the dragon stuck its beak slightly into the gap and extended its tongue out. The noises he heard now turned into screams as the dragon was licking its contents; Perhaps it is a snack for the beast? To his surprise though, the dragon retracted its tongue and head without anything in its mouth. The screams subsided into cries as the huge dragon lifted the boulder and set it back on top. "This beast is as vile as Pudge when he eats", Abaddon snickered to himself. The enormous dragon then went towards one of the piles of gold and laid its body on top of it. It let out a bellowing yawn as it curled its tail and wings to sleep.

As it drifted into slumber, Abaddon waited until the damn beast was deep in its state. His Aegis laid atop a mountain of jewels, but it was completely out of his reach. He had counted on the beast to have a treasure room to keep its prizes, but the fact that it slept with them complicated matters. He was in no able body to fight anymore, after all the trouble he had been through. Already he was tired from chasing, fighting and climbing and simply looking at the dragon sleeping tempted him to do the same. But he knew fully well the shame that would befall his house hold should he fail, as well as what will happen to his contract with the Dire. He took a glance over at the sleeping dragon and came to the only conclusion: he had to steal it back from this thief. He quickly surveyed the chamber and looked for a way around the guarding drake without disturbing it. Fighting the creature head on was out of the question, but should things get worse he would only fight when it was necessary. If he so much as stepped on a single coin, he would risk waking his greedy victim. He noticed a path that had little riches strewn about and considered trying that route, but climbing up the gems would cause too much noise. He also considered taking a path near the hollow rock formation, but his presence may upset whatever was in that prison. Looking around, he saw that the walls surrounding the room had grooves that would be perfect for climbing. This however didn't make Abaddon any more pleased. Even at the thought of more climbing, he saw no other viable option and chose that as his mode of stealth. Realizing the dragon was now snoring immensely, he carefully made his way down the ramp and toward his prize.

The way down the chamber proved fairly easy as the ash covering the surface of the incline softened the steps Abaddon took. As he cautiously walked down the path, he admired the way that the dormant dragon created its abode. Each treasure reflected light in such a way that it made the entire room look as though it were encrusted with jewels and gold. He wondered how the dragon was able sleep in such brilliance, but quickly brushed it off as being resistant when he neared the bottom. The walls had been wrought with scratches that were no doubt carved by the beast, and with them he would reach his goal. He took a step in one of the crevices and found that it was stable enough to carry his weight. He grabbed another crevice and lifted himself just a foot above the gold surface. He then slowly started to inch his way towards the pile of gems, finding any stable footing to save him from the deadly riches below. With each step closer to his goal, Abaddon found it difficult to cling his way as each crevice became too far or too close to anchor on. Suddenly he felt a cascade of pebbles trickle down one of the grooves he chose and braced as they hit the shining floor. He was about to unsheathe his sword when he looked at the dragon still snoring. Abaddon silently cursed himself at the potential harm he could have done and proceeded to climb. With only a few yards from his prize, Abaddon suddenly thought of the noises that he heard earlier. They sounded almost feminine when he heard them. He glanced over at the stone prison and found it dark and void, yet he wondered just what was inside. Perhaps it was a peasant or maybe a princess that was trapped in there. As he came into arms reach of the mountain of jewels, he was reminded that he wasn't bound by such a fate. He was free to get what he desired without death and she was dragon fodder. Better the person trapped in there than him. He gazed upon the enormous mound of precious stones as they glinted with beauty. He noticed the Aegis on top and climbed towards it. At last his eyes met with the bright burning gemstone as he finally came to the top. "What was lost is now found, just as was foretold", Abaddon whispered as he reached for the jewel. Just as his gauntlet touched the surface of the Aegis, he heard a shrill pitched scream emanate from the direction of the rock formation. He looked and saw what appeared to be two large eyes gazing towards him, widened in horror. In desperation, Abaddon quickly grabbed the Aegis and tried to haste himself on the wall. But his doubts came to reality as he was stopped by a spiked tail. He found himself face to face with his thief, wide awake and displeased at his ploy. "Dire grant me strength", spoke the warrior as the dragon roared and swiped at him.

Abaddon fell from his perch and landed on the pile of jewels. He rolled down as the dragon struck again and toppled the pile to stop its thief. The cascade of jewels struck Abaddon, which caused him to lose his grip on the Aegis as he landed on some gold coins. He got up to unsheathe his sword when he saw an enormous claw coming straight towards him. He narrowly ducked the razor talons as he retaliated by striking the back of the creature's hand. This did little to stem his efforts as the blade didn't even break the surface of the scales. The beast then rose its head and opened its mouth. Realizing what was going to happen, Abaddon quickly casted the mists around him to shield himself. The dragon's throat lit up as its maw sudden unleashed a concentrated torrent of fire toward its attacker. Although the mists temporarily protected him, the heat that surrounded him was too much for his spell to resist. Just as the shield broke, Abaddon was knocked back against a wall as molten gold and silver scorched his already battered armor. He looked around for his Aegis and tried to walk, but the hardening metals crippled his joints and he couldn't move. When he finally spotted the mystic gem, he saw that it landed in between some scrolls that were on the other side of the chamber. As the drake was charging another blast, the lord tried his best at casting another shield but to no avail. Realizing the situation had escalated far beyond his magic, he saw no other choice than to wait for the right moment. That moment in which his life would be at its darkest. He shouted, "Do your worst monster!". And at that the dragon unleashed its fury onto Abaddon, smothering him in flames.

. . . . .

"Don't die", said a dim voice in Abaddon's mind. "Don't die", cried another as another repeated the same phrase, followed by another. "Don't die, don't die, don't die...." All at once the voices chanted as they started to drown out his own thoughts. These voices were of Avernus, old and young, giving the warrior the wisdom he needed to survive in his darkest hour. Suddenly he heard a familiar scream come from beyond as all the voices followed in unison:

"DON'T DIE!"
. . . . .

A hurricane of fire surrounded where the warrior had stood, as the beast was letting out a victorious roar. All of a sudden the flames were extinguished and the dragon ceased its cry. A sudden chill was in the air as what appeared to be a ghostly figure was standing where the lord had been struck. The apparition was engulfed in a brilliant display of green flames that seemed to restore the damage that was done. The fire suddenly turned into an aura of miasmic vapor that emanated from the the warriors armor. The dragon stomped its claw where the glowing revenant stood, but to its surprise this did not affect him. The pressure the drake used to crush its victim did not kill or even sway it. Instead, the beast's actions only seemed to give its victim strength as the lord stood defiantly. Abaddon took a step forward, which caused the creature to be pushed back against a wall. He then took hold of his massive blade and charged at the dragon with a vicious rage. The dragon swung its claws toward the warrior, but quickly regretted its attempt when all of its fingers were instantly sliced off their joints. It then sent its tail's spiked end to skewer the assailant, but found that as it made contact, it too became victim to the lord's sword. The dragon finally let out a desperate jet of fire at the man, but to its horror he only took it in as though it were a breeze. The warrior then ran up along its tail as he jumped and impaled the beast's back. As the dragon fell from the sudden shift of weight, it also felt as though its flesh was numbing into a lifeless husk.

Further and further Abaddon drove the blade as he took advantage of his ultimate state. The power that he possessed granted him invincibility, and with it he would slay this beast once and for all. But as he tried his might to further his attack, he felt it slipping away. His moment of power was fading and he no longer was able to impale his victim any further. Even with his vigor returned, he found himself hanging on to the hilt as the beast got up from its near death experience. It then shook Abaddon off its back as the lord landed on a large pile of crowns. Abaddon prepared for another assault from the beast, but looked in surprise at what it did. Instead of retaliating, the drake began to swallow its own treasures and riches. Each jewel and piece of gold was gulped down as it also slurped on whatever precious metal had melted during the fight. Abaddon realized in horror that if the dragon was eating its bounty, it would also eat his Aegis. Frantically, Abaddon darted towards where the scrolls were and started to throw them aside. However as he looked for his prize under all the useless parchments, he could hear the dragon eating what remained of its jewels. The sounds suddenly turned into booms as the dragon stomped past Abaddon, knocking him over. As he got up, he heard a scream and saw that the beast was removing the stone. In one swift motion, the dragon dove its pointed snout inside and pulled out the source of the noise. Abaddon saw what appeared to a young woman struggling from the drakes elongated tongue as she cried out pleas of mercy. She wore a tattered dress that seemed as though it was elegant enough for a ball, but she had no other characteristics of royalty. He tried to make out a face, but found the enormous pink hair to be too obstructive. Abaddon could only look on as the dragon slurped her in whole as he heard her wailing even while being swallowed. He then noticed that the dragon looked towards him in a hungry stare. At first it seemed that he was next, but then he also looked down and found a glowing, orange jewel just between him and the beast. "My Aegis!", cried Abaddon as he dove in to claim it. But all that he got was a giant paw stopping his advance as the dragon quickly grabbed the gemstone and swallowed it.

This was too much for Abaddon. Seeing his rightfully earned treasure being denied by a gluttonous drake had struck a chord so hard that he could not contain his stature. As the dragon prepared to leave its compromised home, Abaddon made a swift sprint towards the beast's neck. With honor far beyond his conscience, he swung his sword at the base of the creature's esophagus. The beast cried out in gargled agony as the blade slit a gaping wound where its neck had been. He then used the opening as an entrance point and casted a Mist coil into the gash. In the very instant that it was cast the dragon finally fell onto its side, breathless and without life. Seeing the creature finally perish, Abaddon made his way towards the body and opened the wound. "Nothing", sighed the warrior as he looked for his prize. He had to find it quick, or else the properties it had would take effect. He let the flesh drop as he went towards the dragon's midsection. Abaddon felt around the beast's rib cage until he found a tender spot. Without hesitation, he started hacking at the drakes body with his sword. Piece by piece, bits of toughened flesh were thrown about until the beast's entrails were exposed in a grotesque display. Finally finding the stomach, he thrusted his weapon into the organ and dragged the blade across as he dodged the various fluids and objects that spilled. He then opened the freshly made incision and found the various treasures and jewels the creature ate. Some were already starting to dissolve while others defiantly stayed intact to a degree. He walked inside and lit his blade as he looked around for the gemstone. Just then he heard a small cough and turned to find the source. He saw that it was the girl that the dragon ate just before eating his Aegis. The one who foiled his plan to reclaim it. She was lying weakly on top of some ruined fabrics and coughing from the toxic fumes. He was thinking of ending her misery when he saw a bright glow come from under the pile. He lifted the fabrics without caring for the girl as he found the divine orange gem, just as he heard an enormous heart beat.

To his horror, Abaddon saw the jewel begin to sink into the flesh of the dead beast. He was too late in finding the Aegis. He began digging under the gemstone, only to find that the marks only restored themselves shortly after. He heard another heart beat as he noticed the jewel began to dissipate. He grabbed what he could of the Aegis and pulled with his might in hopes to separate it from its user. But alas the corpse held firm onto it as the body began working again. All of a sudden he saw that the light from the outside was dimming and the opening was patching itself. "My quest has been for nothing!" yelled Abaddon as he let the Aegis slip. Having given up on the wasted artifact, he hurried towards the exit.

"Help me..."

Abaddon stopped as he turned around and found the girl laying on the soaked floor, trying to stay alive.

"Help...me...", she cried as she suddenly passed out amidst the stomach acids.

All of a sudden, he heard a voice come from his mind saying, "Take her". The disembodied voice was followed by more and more, determined in changing Abaddon's mind.

"Take her, take her, take her, take Her..."

The lord had no other business being there, yet this call had prevented from going any further. He saw the opening closing faster and tried to take another step, but then retracted as the voices deafened his hearing.

"TAke HeR, taKE heR, Take hER, Take HER...", they shouted as the warrior stood fighting it.

Finally, after hearing too much of the voices, he conceded and did what Avernus now wanted him to do. Coming away from the opening, he rushed towards the limp figure of the woman. As he picked her up, he noticed that she wasn't breathing. He then started to carry her towards the exit, but saw that it was already too late. The hole had sealed itself during the rescue, and the fleshy chamber they were in now started to spring to life. As more heart beats rang in Abaddon's ears, he tried to cut his way out again but to no avail. He was a fool. A fool to ever trust the voices in his head. Of all the times he had listened to them, he had to obey when it meant costing his life to save one that had ruined his quest. The walls around him started to churn as they closed in around him, further sealing his doom. Then suddenly a glimmering piece of shining metal caught his eye. He reached over to it while still caring the limp girl and picked it up, hardly believing what he had found. It was a curved, crescent shaped dagger that had a blue cloth wrapping the hilt. He had recognized this item before and now realized the answer to his current problem. The acids started to rise as the walls contracted and Abaddon knew it was now or never to use it. He casted the mists around him to shield him and the unconscious girl as he held onto the dagger and started to concentrate. "Take us down this mountain, out of this monster's prison!", he shouted as the small knife suddenly emitted an intense light that prompted him to close his eyes.

A sudden glass shattering sound was heard as Abaddon felt that he was no longer being compressed. He opened his eyes and found that he was outside of the belly of the beast, at the base of the mountain, next to Acherus while he was resting where he had put him. Abaddon let out a sigh of relief and turned to face the girl, who was still not breathing. Laying her down on the ground, he put his hand on her bosom and concentrated all the mana he had into reviving her. He spoke words as a pale mist surrounded the two and made its way towards the woman's body. As the mystical energies did their work, Abaddon looked at what the voices wanted him to rescue: It was a young girl who looked around the age of 16 or 17, yet her size made her seem as though she were only 12. She had an enormous plumage of long, tangled hair that covered her stunningly beautiful face. His trance was broken when the mists started to enter her mouth as they attempted to give air to the seemingly lifeless maiden. The silence was then broken when she suddenly coughed and let out a gasp for air. Even though she never opened her eyes, the fact that she was alive gave him the assurance he needed. Abaddon called to the mist as it left the girl's lips and came back towards him. As he felt the power coming back to him, he suddenly felt something soften in his palm. He looked at the woman and realized that her dress had been dissolving; no doubt from the stomach acids of the beast. He noticed that his hand was now covering her bare chest as the girl's body was becoming exposed. He took his hand away and removed the cloak he had been wearing. As he lifted her up, he felt two more strange things behind her. He turned her around and saw that she had a pair of what looked like small, soaked wings that protruded from her back. "By the Dire!" replied Abaddon. Wrapping the girl in the cloth, he lifted her and saddled her on top of his steed, which suddenly let out a worried whinny.

Hearing a booming roar coming above him, Abaddon quickly got upon his noble horse and ordered him to go. Without a second reminder, the stallion began trotting and then galloping into the forest, which looked more pleasant than the clearing they were in. The two sped past many glades and trees as they attempted their escape. Then all of a sudden Abaddon realized one crucial observation: where was the path that lead him here? He looked around and tried to find the way back towards the hill, but everywhere he looked he only saw darkness. With the roars of the now reborn beast becoming dimmer, the lone warrior found himself lost in a world that he knew nothing about. With the girl in hand, he rode off into the night with a new goal in mind: finding his path home.