Avalon/Roleplay Section/Hector/The Seed

Previous: Hector's Return

The Seed, part I

Jessica and Arian decide for them to get to Zod, they’d rather go by way of Norjke. It was mountainous, provided cover and places to hide, and in general was better than roaming the open ground and forests where the population has been hounded by the undead and Monsters. They make slow progress through the mountains. Arian notices Jessica seems to be a bit red in the face, and sweaty. “Jessica, are you OK?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, I’m fine, just a little flush. We’ve been walking a long way.” Jessica says, bowing her head.

Arian looks her over a little closer. It could be the fact that the Colony Tree is dying and that perhaps, it is affecting her, as it did give her the seed. Somehow, they might be intertwined now.

They walk on through the day until well after the sun has set. “Here, let’s make camp here”. They sit down and share some bread and dried meat. They sip from a flask that contains some ale to quench their thirst.

As Jessica dozes off to sleep, Arian hears some brush move in the woods. It’s dark where they are, he has trouble seeing past a crop of bushes about 10 yards off. The moon is only a sliver tonight, so the light is scarce. He sits up a bit, listening for a long time. After a few moments, he puts his head down to go to sleep. Suddenly, as if a tree is falling, a crash comes from the tree lines. Arian is up, he utters something, and then tosses a small bag towards the sound. A flash reveals two creatures of perfect stature charging for him. “Seekers!” Specifically designed and trained by the banshees as sleek, strong and efficient killing machines. They are demons of the underworld, and stop at nothing until the one they seek is destroyed.

They’re here for her! He wheels around and darts away from Jessica. The creatures are a bit confused, pausing for a moment to start towards Jessica, then, minding the druid, decide to chase after him as he is a bigger threat. It worked! Now I just have to stay alive long enough to remember the spell. If I remember right, it is nearly impossible to kill them.. Arian runs deep into the forest, jumping boulders, fallen trees and brush at almost every step. He can hear them pursuing him, but he can’t see them. It’s so dark. He is going through potions and spells in his head until... Arian grabs a bag from his cape, runs up a fallen tree trunk that rises to 15 feet at one end, and jumps off, spinning around, and throwing the bag while uttering something under his breath. As he falls on his back, he sees the bag explode and the two creatures are suddenly covered in an iridescent powder, causing them to glow.

Arian scrambles to his feet, while the creatures sneeze and spin, trying to get the dust off of them. They give up and proceed towards Arian, their pace quickening. Arian pulls out a sword, and while in a full run, suddenly stops behind a tree. The two creatures charge up and pass Arian by. He watches as they continue to run into the night. After a moment, Arian comes out from behind the tree and runs quickly back to camp. Jessica is still there, somewhat fevered, and still asleep. He grabs her shoulder, “Jessica, wake up, we have to break camp and head out. We haven’t much time…”

Jessica rocks back and forth then leaps awake! “EEEiiicccchhh!” She shrieks. “What were those things?”

Arian looks at her with a puzzled look, she was completely asleep during the events, but she speaks as if she saw the whole thing. “They were seekers. And we don’t want to be anywhere near them. They are after you, Jessica, we are in grave danger. We must leave right now!”

Jessica and Arian leave some of their belongings and proceed forward. Arian knows they know where they are headed so he takes a detour towards Henhower rather than proceed straight to Zod. This will slow their pursuit, and cause them some confusion. Arian casts some spells to conceal their trail, and they move on to Henhower, unnoticed and alone.

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The Seed, part II

Hector is traveling on the road with a few of his men and several other Troop Leaders. As he marches through Henhower, he glances up at the mountain range to his left. It is a beautiful mountain. Norjke is what it is know as, and Hector has spent some time on those ranges, hunting and being hunted. He smiles as he reminisces. He starts to drift off, thinking of Jessica, her long, brown hair, curling around her beautiful face, her dark, brown eyes, looking right through you. As he drifts off thinking of her, he swears he hears her voice calling him… “Hector, Hector! Up here, Hector!”

Hector realizes it is too real to be his imagination. He looks off in the distance and sees Jessica and Arian. “Jessica, Arian! Oh, am I glad to see you!”

They run together, Jessica, embracing Hector. Arian, with an unusual smile on his face. “What’s that look for, Arian?”

“Oh, just surprised you survived yet another battle, hero!” Arian has a slighted smile on his face, almost mocking Hector.

Hector pays him no mind and looks into Jessica’s eyes. “You…you look a lot different. Is everything OK?”

“Oh, we were attacked again, Arian saved me though. Strange, I slept through it, but can remember the whole thing as if I were a bird watching.”

Hector glances at Arian. Arian looks away.

“No mind, lets get moving. We’re heading to Zod, and we can finally plant this tree and get on with our lives.” Hector says, eagerly.

Jessica pulls her hands away. “Hector, you have to be prepared for anything. It is possible we get attacked in Zod, and you could lose me. You have to be ready to let me go if that happens.”

Hector smiles, “If that happens, then all we know will be gone too, so, I have no fear of that, my dear.”

They march on towards Zod. As they enter Henhower, Hector notices something off in the distance. “Monsters!” He shouts, and all of the Troop Leaders immediately ready themselves. Within a matter of minutes, horns sound and the men are off. They charge into a small gathering of creatures on the open meadow and kill them quickly.

Hector rejoins Jessica after the battle and this time, Revan is with him. “Jessica, it’s good to see you. I hope all is well.” Revan says to Jessica.

“Revan, it is good to see you again. I hope all is well with you too.” Jessica says with a smile.

They mount up, and again, head off to Zod, where the Colony Tree is almost dead.

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The Seed, part III

As they enter the city, it is unusually calm. There is some fog, and the town seems almost deserted. They make their way towards where the Colony Tree resides. As they approach, the all notice a large, Monster Army forming to stop them.

Hector turns to Revan, “This isn’t good.”

There are several Wraiths hovering above the Monsters, and they are quite bent on preventing their arrival.

“Jessica, you need to find somewhere to hide, while we clear our path.” Hector says, as he turns and looks very much concerned at Arian.

Jessica does so, and Hector marches into formation with the others. Just then, the wind blows wildly and the clouds start to form. “This is unnatural.” Hector says, turning to Arian.

“Yes it is.” Arian says, concern dripping from his tongue.

Hector suddenly is frightened. For the first time in his life, he feels unsure of what is going to happen. Then, on the horizon, to the soldiers horror, they watch as a large lightning bolt crashes into the ground. Then, about a mile away, they notice a bright light gleaming from a crack in the air. “What is that, Arian?”

“That, Hector, is the portal to the Netherworld. It has caused a rupture in the barrier. The Colony Tree must be dead.

A large brute like creature emerges from the Elvin building, holding the root of the Colony Tree. He grunts and screams with glee.

“They’ve killed the tree, the fissure is broken! They come, by the millions, they are coming now!” Arian says, with horror in his eyes.

Hector turns to Arian. “Our General is not here, what are we going to do?”

Arian turns to Hector, “It is you that must lead this battle, Hector, you must charge them and allow me time to get Jessica into place to plant the tree. I don’t know how long it will take, but it might immediately close the rupture.”

Hector nods, he’s numb from this head to his toes. No Hero can make a difference here, this is all or nothing. Hector screams, “To arms men, Charge!” Trumpets sound, but it is very hard to hear with the fierce wind blowing and howling. In the distance the sounds of millions of creatures mobilizing on the other side of the portal is deafening.

Hector and several troop leaders charge the band of Monsters standing between them and the Elvin complex, housing the now dead Colony Tree. Arian rushes to the back, looking for Jessica.

Hector and Revan, are side by side, striking out, cutting through the defenses of the creatures. They are fighting like berserkers today, sensing the danger that is trying to stop them.

They slice, crush and pound their way through. A mile off, a few Monsters broke ranks and dart through the rupture into our world, charging to stave the humans off. Trying desperately to buy more time to allow the monsters to get through the portal.

Hector has another horn blown, and from their left flank, several Troop Leaders charge with their armies, cutting of the reinforcements sent in by the Monsters. Hector charges forward, cutting through. Suddenly, Arian is there with Jessica, in the heat of the battle.

Hector looks over in shock! “What are you doing?”

Arian looks back, and points to the portal. “Look, we’ve no time, they are starting to come through!”

Hector starts to lose the feeling in his arms, and swings wildly, trying to cut a path for Jessica to make it through. “Revan, help!”

Revan looks up, sees his friend and is immediately there, cutting through, pushing them back.

They break through. Charging wildly towards the compound, through the courtyard, then into the area where the tree resides. The tree is completely uprooted. The seven guardian children lay, dead, about the courtyard. Hector has no time, he grabs Jessica’s arm and pushes her to the center of the garden.

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The Seed, part IV – The conclusion

“Hector, I… I can’t do this. I thought I could, but I can’t, I’m scared, I don’t think I can…”

“Jessica, it’ll be OK, I’m here, I’ll protect you! You are the one I love! You, must save us all! Plant the tree! You can do it, I’ll be right here.”

Jessica looks up at Hector, she takes a deep breath. “It is because of you, that I can do this. I love you, and I always will, Hector!”

Hector suddenly feels empty. Something just happened, he feels alone. He doesn’t know what it is, but he is terrified. “Jessica!”

She turns, and looks into his eyes, and smiles, “Remember, I love you!”

Creatures burst through the courtyard and Hector and Revan fend them off. Arian is there, tossing bags and engulfing creatures in flames, destroying them. Hector perry’s fending them off. “You’ll all be gone soon! All of you! Ha ha!”

Suddenly, Hector hears something in his head. “You’ll never see her again, you know! She’s going to be gone forever if you let her do this!”

Hector looks around, the message repeating over and over in his head. He looks up, it’s a wraith.

“Tricky bastard! Arian!”

Arian is there, jumping into the air, tossing another potion at the wraith, it is engulfed in fire, and gone.

Hector turns to Arian, “it said I would lose her, what did it mean? What did it mean?”

Arian turns to Hector, “I have to help her, she needs me to guide her, hold them off, I’ll be back!”

Hector screams again, “What did it mean?”

More creatures, burst through, Hector and Revan fend them off.

Arian joins Jessica in the garden, “What do I do?” Jessica asks.

“OK, hold the seed, and chant these words… sacer fic, sacer fic, sacer fic”

Jessica begins to chant, a light starts to come from the seed.

More creatures spill through the entrance of the garden. Hector and Revan are starting to become overpowered. “Arian, hurry, they’re growing in number!” Hector yells.

Revan and Hector move closer to each other, slice and slashing, tired as can be, but there are more and more of them coming.

“Sacer fic, sacer fic, sacer fic, sacer fic….” Jessica chants, and raises a now glowing see that is starting to shoot off sparks and fire.

Something is happening. Suddenly, Hector falls, the creatures crowd over him, and push past. Revan, falls too, being stepped on by the creatures as they rush Jessica, a few hundred feet away. Hector and Revan push to their feet, trying to slice as the now hundreds of creatures charge Jessica. Arian, pulls some bags from his robes and tosses them at the creatures, slowing them a bit, but not much.

“Jessica, they’re coming, hurry!”

“Sacer fic, sacer fic sacer…”

The Monsters reach her, in unison, they all pounce, she goes down, under the pile. Hector screams! “NOooooo!”

The ground starts to shake, and a light begins to illuminate from the pile of creatures, suddenly, a burst of light, and the creatures go flying, some start to fall backwards, retreating from the light. Jessica is there, standing, glowing in the middle of the garden. The seed gone. She appears to be floating.

“Jessica, what… what’s happening. Jessica? JESSICA?”

Hector starts towards her, but Revan grabs him. “Stop, Hector wait!”

Hector turns, looking at his friend, “What is happening to her, Revan, what is happening?” Hector is starting to cry. He turns back. He sees her staring at him.

“My love, don’t cry, I do this for you!” Suddenly, she starts to change. Her feet stab into the ground, her hand stretch out and she grows really large. Her feet start to twist around each other, her hair turns into branches, her arms transform, she starts to change. Twisting, wreathing, and becoming…. A tree.

Hector looks on in horror. “No! Oh god NO! What is happening? Arian, stop it! Arian, help her!”

Arian looks over at Hector, a deep sadness in his eyes. Revan, startled by the sudden transformation, lets go of Hector. “Hector, my god, I’m so sorry!”

Hector falls to his knees, screaming, “Oh god, how can this be NOOO!!!”

Suddenly, the rupture in the distance closes, a great wind sucks several of the creatures back through the portal. They are returning to the nether world, the gate is closing. The wind stops, and standing before Hector, Revan and Arian is a large, golden tree.