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Quest Objective

- Travel to Caldasher and put an end to her brother's plans.

In a strange new set of circumstances, the demon you'd been hunting has forced you into her service, making you her champion. Guided by her words, you will need to journey to Caldasher, and find a way to kill her brother Tazrael.

***

(You begin this Chapter with a quarter of your Health remaining, so for example if you start off with 200 Health Points, you begin this chapter with 50 Health Points.)

Ships as old as the world itself lay half buried in the sand, the wreckages from past battles littering the shoreline for thousands of miles, moss and lichen covering their battered and broken husks. Monstrous trees the size of towers shade the area in shadow, while colorful balls of sparkling light glide from branch to branch. The entire forest gleaming with life and energy.

Finally having gathered enough energy to move, you wander along the beach in the hopes of finding other survivors, but all you find are the skeletal remains of former sailors draped across their ships or lying out in the baking sun. The weapons held in their grasp too badly rusted by time.

Sweat beads upon your brow and your belly rumbles with hunger. It will not be long before nightfall comes and you'd rather get some rest before keeling over from exhaustion. (You can only select one of the choices below.)

(Click here if you wish to search the forest for food?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Fists clenched, you turn to face the forest and feel a chill run down your spine at the way it glimmers in the sunlight. Colorful sparks run up and down the thick vines, and energy seems to ooze out of the trees. The wind blows a strange groaning sound that gives the forest life and breath.

Head bent down, you stride across the rough uneven surface of the sand and enter the forest, and feel another chill sweep over you, this one however was far more tangible like fingers brushing against your back.

Nervously you glance about the forest for something edible to eat and see mushrooms nestled in between the crevice of a tree. The mushrooms are brightly colored and glow with that same magical light that exists within the forest, however you do not recognize what type of mushroom it is. (Continue on to the next option below.)

(Continuation of food option - Click here if you wish to eat the mushroom?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

With a light tug, you pull out a purple mushroom and without looking at it, you stuff it into your mouth and chew. The mushroom is surprisingly soft with a nice tangy flavor that makes your mouth water.

Like a starved wolf, you tear out more from the ground and chomp them down, your eyes closed as you focus on the taste. The smooth, rich flavor of the mushroom slides down your throat so easily, you wonder if mages had had hand in creating them.

Satisfied, you lay your back up against a tree trunk to briefly rest, when you feel a sharp stab of pain tear through your stomach.

Bent over, you clutch your chest and gasp for air, the pain in your stomach comes in waves until at last it fades away to nothing. (+30 Health Points, - 1 Resilience Point for the duration of this chapter.)

Groaning with relief, you stand back up and decide you better find someplace to shelter for the night.(Continue on and Click the Shelter option.)

(Continuation of food option - Click here if you do not wish to eat the mushroom?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

After a few seconds of thinking, you decide against eating the mushroom, considering it too much of a risk to your life.

You continue searching the edge of the forest for something else to eat, but find nothing else remotely edible. The creatures of the forest must lurk further inland and yet you fear you are far to weak to face such creatures in your current state. You need to get some rest, so decide it was time to find some shelter for the night.(Continue on and Click the Shelter option.)

(Click here if you wish to continue searching for survivors?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

You spend another several hours combing through the wreckage in search of survivors and come across the familiar face of a sailor, whose arm had been torn off in the battle. Long since dead, you rummage through his pockets and find a few gold pieces and what looks to be an amulet made of bone. (+9 Gold Pieces, Amulet of Bone + 1 Resilience)

You stuff the gold into your own pockets and drape the amulet around your neck, before continuing your search down the shoreline.

There, you come across more bodies, but none have anything of worth on them. With the suns low in the sky, you decide now is the time to find some shelter.(Continue on and Click the Shelter option.)

(Click here if you wish to find shelter for the night?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Back aching, you limp further inland to look for a place to rest up and get some sleep, when you spot a strange furry beast with bright green skin scuttle across your path.

Ravenous with hunger, you chase after the beast in the hopes of killing it, when it disappears inside the hollow of a great tree.

For a brief moment you're disappointed at having failed to capture the creature, before shrugging your shoulders and crawling inside the cosy hole to try to get some rest. (+20 Health Points.)

The hollow while not quite comfortable, does give a little warmth, the clothes on your back dry out and you manage a few hours sleep, before awaking to the sound of a roar that shakes the land.

Face tight with worry, you stiffly peek your head out of the tree to see where the noise has come from, but see nothing. Darkness has settled over the forest, giving the colorful balls of light an ethereal glow that shimmers through the air, the trees taking on grotesque shapes that send another shiver down your spine.

In the stillness, you listen for the sound of another roar and again you hear it off in the distance, the ground beneath you shaking a little at its sound. You wonder if you should leave this place and head back to beach where its safer, when you see a figure emerge from the darkness.

Human in appearance, the shadowy figure darts from tree to tree, its red eyes glistening in the darkness, in its arms are two wickedly sharp steel blades that gleam with danger in the starlight.

It pauses as if sensing your eyes upon it and flits away out of sight. You consider following the creature if only kill it and take its weapons, but fear what else could be lurking in the forest. There was also no guarantee you could defeat such a creature in unarmed combat.

(Click here if you wish to pursue the creature?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Tossing aside all caution, you leap out of the hollow and chase after the creature into the pitch black darkness, your feet pounding across the rough surface.

Half spinning to circle round trees, you catch another glimpse of the shadowy figure ahead of you, it's blades glittering in the darkness and speed up.

The shadowy warrior darts in and around the trees making it difficult to keep it within your line of sight, but you refuse to give up. There was too much at risk to just give up now, but if you could somehow get a hold of his blad--

You hear a soft click under your feet and feel something hit the side of your neck, your legs become instantly numb as you tumble to the ground, your arm instinctively going to the back of your neck to find a small piece of wood lodged in your nape.

Eyes widening in shock, you pull out the dart and before you have a chance to think on what this could mean, you collapse into dirt... (-15 Health Points, you sleep till morning.)

(Click here if you wish to stay where you are and wait for morning to come?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

Judging the risk too great, you try to get some more rest and wait for morning to arrive. (+20 Health Points.)

Groaning, you let out a yawn and get up to stretch your arms and legs, utterly relieved that nothing attacked you while you slept. With the danger of the night past, you decide it's time to make plans to get out of this place. To do that end you'll need figure out where you are, collect supplies and build tools, before heading deeper into the forest.

(Click here if you wish to build a bow?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

It would take some time and a good deal of skill, but you believe it would be best to create a bow. This way, you could your kill enemies from afar and hunt game.

You find some suitable wood in the forest and head back to the beach to collect a badly rusted sword, before setting to work shaping the wood.

The work takes some time, but at last you've shaped the wood into a bow, and carved notches into the handles to hold the string. You then search the beach for rope and find some straddling a rotten mast.

The arrows are much more difficult to make and are far more time consuming,but in the end you settle on fashioning a dozen pointed arrows with no fletchings. It would mean having to fire at a much closer range, but taking the time to find feathers would take even more time you do not have.

Hefting the newly made weapon, you feel much better already. (Quest Item added)

(Click here if you wish to build a spear?)

Spoiler: Spoiler

After some thought, you decide the spear would be by far a much better option, reliable and much easier to wield, the spear could serve both as a weapon and hunting tool.

You find some suitable wood in the forest and head back to the beach to collect a badly rusted sword, before setting to work shaping the wood.

The work takes some time, but at last you've shaped the wood into a spear, and sharpen the end of the weapon to give it a nasty point, before slotting in rusted metal pieces into slits around the tip of the spear. You would need to take it out when hunting animals to avoid poisoning the meat, but it would prove useful against enemies.

Hefting the newly made weapon, you feel much better already. (Quest Item added)

Better armed, you scan the forest for the largest tree and begin climbing up using the rough hewn branches. The bark scraping your skin as you slowly clamber upward, your feet seeking footholds, while your calloused fingers grasp the tree branches.

The climb is arduous and leaves you breathless, but eventually you heave a sigh of relief as you reach the top.

Dark clouds filled with moisture roll overhead, the trees sway in the breeze and brisk wind chills your skin.

Studying the layout of the forest, you soon realise where you are and feel your heart plummet in your chest as memories of the Captain's map float through your mind. This place could only be Gilgathan, land of a thousand mysteries, and home to hundreds of strange creatures that have lain hidden for a millennia. But most importantly it was the homeland to the giants, immense warriors that loved to pillage and raid. Known for their brutal ferocity, short temper and tiny brains they were one of the most feared races upon Coroleya and for good reason. Their strength, stamina and battle prowess was second to none. Facing a giant in your condition with no proper weapons or armor would be as good as tearing out your own heart.

But at least there was one thing you could be thankful for, and that is you are much closer to your goal than you had first feared. If you could reach the island to the north west, you could take a boat through the Dragon's Throat and land in Orkeylium. There you could resupply, and make your way through the Great Divide into Caldasher and begin your real quest.

"Good, I had feared you had forgotten all about me, my champion."

A touch annoyed that the distance had not weakened the voice, you grumble back, "Have no fear, I have not forgotten you demon."

You hear a deep throaty laugh in response. "Then hurry my warrior, the time of the Blood Storm draws nigh and you will not wish to face him then."

And while a part of you fears what would occur should the Blood Storm be completed, you can't help but feel a touch of curiosity. To see such magic in action would be a wonder to behold, even greater than that of Black Towers of Fogwater. Towers of pure magic that floated in the air, surrounded by a thick red mist that protected it from outsiders. Power such as that would be incredibly tempting to any mage, even to Lorna.

And as your thoughts return to your former comrades, you ask quickly before the voice disapears, "Where is Gorrack and Lorna? Do they still live?"

You feel a tingle of energy cross your mind as though she is pondering your words, before she replies, "Why would you wish to know their fate?"

Even without seeing Sarsonel's expression, you can sense subtle intent behind her question as though your next words would be judged.

(Click here if you wish to say. "They have proven themselves to be useful tools and would greatly speed my journey.")

Spoiler: Spoiler

Sarsonel snorts in amusement. "Very well, I shall answer. They live, but they will no longer be of use to you here. Now go and finish what you've begun."

(Click here if you wish to say. "I care for them and would not see them harmed."

Spoiler: Spoiler

At your words, you feel a white hot flash of jealous rage burn through the back of your mind. "You are mine! And mine alone!"

Invisible blades stab into your flesh as your skin is slowly peeled away to reveal muscle and bone. Half toppling out of tree in shock, you quickly steady yourself and bite down on your tongue to ignore the pain. (-20 Health Points)

"You belong to me!"At those words, the pain finally subsides and in your mind's eye you see Lorna burning in a lake of fire, being tortured by demons, while Sarsonel gleefully watches.

Feeling slightly dizzy, you hold tight to the tree, your head dipping downward and catch sight of the warrior from last night directly below you, his shoulders hunched over as though studying your foot imprints.

With only seconds to make a move before he realises you are up here.

1. Do you take aim with your bow and try to kill him with a well placed arrow?(Quest Item Bow Required)

2. Do you leap down from above and attack him with your spear?(Quest Item Spear Required)

3. Do you activate your racial ability 'Twice the Power'? (Gnome Race Only)

4. Do you activate race ability 'Fangs'?( Vampire Race Only)

5. If you are unsure this warrior is your enemy, do you try to speak with him?