Zogg and company had taken some steed beasts from the two kings and rode some distance over forests and streams

when Zogg had asked Githiom a question.....

"do you know what shiny thing is paladin?" showing the orb to Githiom

Githiom then answered Zogg , "it's a treasured relic from the kingdom of the stars" we can get an idea about that curious item from the great library

of Illumia...my kingdom,

Zogg then replied.

"a pretty lady appeared to me in this shiny ball, she seeked help...."

"hmmm I'd surmise that she was royalty...possession of the orb of this importance is usually given to the most important members of the Nobles. you are quite lucky to

have glimpsed one of them" said the paladin

Zogg looked at the orb then said

"she was looking for this shiny thing, Zogg thinks she in trouble and where trouble is, is powerful opponents to fight!"

Githiom looked at him in wonder and then said

"you're and easy man to please Zogg...how about this walking statue behind us? how did you come to possess such a metal beast?"

Zogg then smiled and answered

Waiexx is Zogg's friend...he has proven himself in the field of battle and is good to travel with us."

Githiom then glimpsed back at the mech walking and following behind them and then looked at the horizon

"it seems that the sun is setting, we best set up camp and turn in for the night"

which they did as Githiom dropped down from his steed beast and began to make a campfire while Zogg and YX foraged and looked around for something to catch and eat, which turned out to be easy as YX locked it's sights on a passing deer and blasted it with it's gun platform, Zogg then bounded over to the kill YX procured and put the large deer on his back to carry back to camp, the catch which was still smoking was then plopped in front of the surprised Githiom and then carved up by Zogg to be roasted in the fire with some potatoes that Githiom brought along as part of his travel supplies, both warriors then cooked the venison and then started to eat the tender meat sprinkled with some salt from Githiom and herbs foraged around by Zogg.

Githiom happily ate the meat while Zogg chomped down greedily, YX meanwhile stood silent as a guarding sentinel

Zogg then said to Githiom,

"what is your land like paladin? I have heard many things about Illumia and Zogg is curious about the books one may read from its great library"

Githiom then happily described to Zogg his kingdom

"yes the kingdom of Illumia....it is a paradise and a shining beacon of what a country should be, almost all of the citizens are knights trained in the best forms of swordplay and thinking, we take pride in that Zogg, in it's long history Illumia always has and always will be a kingdom that shines whether it would be a prosperous or a dark time.

Zogg then asked Githiom,

"your home sounds just like my own|, Zogg and his tribesmen take good pride in our skills as warriors,"

the paladin then said "hoho!, I beg to differ, my kingdom has more wondrous sights and places and people to see!.

****************************

Zogg was about to contradict Githiom when from the distance flew a spear right between the two warriors, alarmed Githiom and

Zogg picked up their weapons on guard and ready to fight, Yx sensors blazed back to life locating the intruder, across the distance then was a

scantily clad woman holding a bow and arrow aimed at them, Githiom then spoke to Zogg

"it would seem that she is challenging us..

Zogg then raised his axe at the ready, and proceeded to bound straight for the aiming woman, Githiom then recognized the clothes the woman was

wearing, he immediately cried out to Zogg about the identity of the strange woman,

"Watch out Zogg she's an Amazon!!"

Zogg readily recognized the intruder, an Amazon was a skilled warrior woman from the jungles of Kixhivol, a mysterious land of mists and steaming

jungles, but what was the purpose of the woman going after them? perhaps she was after the orb as well? this thought passed Zogg's mind as he prepared to strike his opponent down, YX was at the ready stomping towards the lady warrior and raising its blasters, the woman sensed that YX was about to blast her and responded accordingly shooting down the emplacements and disabling the robot, Zogg then chanted a spell and while running released a fireball towards the woman,

"what?! how does a barbarian know how to cast spell?!"

said the woman who dodged the fireball and set her bow and arrow at her back and picked up a spear as Zogg came down on her, Zogg chopped strongly but was matched by the amazon's skill with the spear. Zogg then leapt backward and while

in midair threw his axe towards the amazon, while the disabled YX trudged slowly intending to capture the woman with it's metal hand, but the woman speared it's metal arm and twisted it disabling the mech's right hand and toppling it with a powerful blunt blow from her spear, YZ then kneeled on one knee, temporarily disabled, Zogg saw this and saw the woman as a strong adversary and howled an approval in finding a worthy opponent, the woman hearing Zogg's scream then howled herself in reply the two then locked weapons and exchanged blows from axe to spear and spear to axe

Zogg could sense the skill of the warrior before her and unleashed a warcry while fighting the amazon, Githiom merely stood at his place observing the battle while the mech YX stood on one knee temporarily disabled, Zogg matched her blow by blow and each warrior and warrioress dodged and slammed their weapons not letting the other a moment's respite, this continued on for several hours had passed until the two temporarily stopped and looked at each other using their weapons as crutches they leaned on them for support.

"that would be all now," said Githiom coming forward and patting each of them in the shoulder" then going the diplomatic route asked the amazon

"If I may be so bold milady, what do you exactly want from us that you would go and initiate an attack?"

the amazon then spoke and said

"shiny orb is trouble!, I must get rid of it as commanded by our high matriarch!"

Zogg then looked at her and held the bag containing the orb tightly

Githiom then asked her some more.

******************************

"High Matriarch? is she perhaps your leader?".

the amazon nodded and then prodded her spear at the two

Zogg then grunted disapproval and bid the amazon to continue the match,

"fight more woman!"

challenging the amazon to continue once more

but Githiom stopped Zogg and explained his proposition to the barbarian

it would be better if she was with us Zogg said Githiom and then turned to the amazon

"is there any particular reason why you want this orb amazon?"

the woman warrior then lowered her spear and then pointed to the orb

"the orb is not natural and must be destroyed, it has come to pass that shiny ball will fall from the sky and must be destroyed or

the amazons will befall a terrible fate! its coming is a bad omen indicating disaster!"

Zogg then spoke and voiced his opinion

"shiny ball is from kingdom of the stars, Zogg will go there!"

the amazon then held her spear once more but was promptly stopped by the paladin

"if you want it sent away so badly milady then why not join us to send this orb back to where it came from"

the amazon then turned her gaze to the orb and said

"no! orb must be destroyed"

Githiom then in quick thinking told the woman,

"im afraid if you do that a bad curse will befall you....."

Zogg turned to Githiom and then said

what omen? Zogg no know about ome....

"Githiom then nudged the barbarian in the ribs"

Zogg then understanding the gesture turned quiet,

the woman then thought for a while and then saw the logic in what Githiom had said, even though he had no idea if there was a curse

in the first place.

"you may have point what does armor man, and muscle man propose?"

this then put a sly smile to Gitiom as he had realized that the amazon would provide a valuable ally,

the skill and power of the amazons of the jungles of Kixhivol was known far and wide and to have a possible ally

out of one was truly advantageous

"then it's settled then! said Githiom we now are a party!"a barbarian, a paladin, a robot and an amazon"

YX then stood up having it's self-repair protocols now engaged as it's nanomachines work quickly to repair its

damage, Githiom then asked the woman's name as she tells them, I am papaya of the amazons, I will make sure that that

orb will be safely disposed of without getting cursed by it and so Papaya shall fulfill her quest";

with this Githiom was satisfied

"welcome then!"

as the amazon set her weapons aside and shook the paladin's hand and went with them on their adventure.