Feel free to discuss! Sorry for it being late, I had an issue with my PC.
Chapter IV: The Blavedere Swamp
Part I
Jason awoke to find a strange mist over the landscape. Only the ground was covered. Suddenly, he realized, he was surrounded. Strange creatures were lurking in the mist. He tried to move and saw his arms and legs were chained. Jason attempted to melt them, but his powers did not work.
Dominus Ultimus taunted, “You fool! Did you not think I would render your powers useless in my presence? Your friends are just fine and they will wake and up and wonder where you are.”
Dominus Ultimus teleported away. The sun peaked over the thick mist and trees. Meanwhile, Elizabeth awoke as the sunlight hit her eyes.
“Where is Jason?”, asked Elizabeth.
Henry replied, “I don’t know.”
Augustus said, “He got kidnapped by a man in a green robe and his entourage.”
Elizabeth said, “We need to get him back. He is our leader.”
Camp was packed up and everyone got back onto the trail. When the heroes finally reached the swamp, a large force was waiting for them. Elizabeth saw Jason on the ground, chained to the earth by earth. Augustus charged right down to where Jason was and began breaking the earthy prison. Elizabeth was yelling at Augustus, but it did no good. With a large snap, the last rock holding Jason in place broke in half. Augustus turned to find an entire army right in front of him. The soldiers turned, got down on their knees, and bowed before Henry.
Henry ordered, “Kill that evil brat!”
Jason asked, “You were a spy all along?”
Henry replied, “You fool, I am second in command to Omidron.”
Elizabeth said, “I should have known, you knew everything right from the start. You set this up.”
Henry replied, “I had some cleaning up to do. Omidron wanted me to dispose of Auduron, the Orc King, and Fulmen because they... ENOUGH TALK!!”
The army began advancing on three remaining heroes. Meanwhile, Henry disappeared into the forest with several guards. Elizabeth saw a break in the trees. She notched an arrow and fired. Her bowstring snapped in half as the arrow was fired. Henry heard the noise and turned to see an arrow pass through his head. He fell to his knees with a shocked expression on his face. The corpse started to emit a smoke. A thick, black smoke filled the air around the forest.
Elizabeth while crying said, “I do not tolerate traitors.”
Henry said, “Haha... I can’t be killed that easily.”
Henry was the black smoke. The evil deeds he had done over the years turned his soul black as night. He now took on the shape of his former human form.
Henry looked at Katherine disgustedly and said, “I am ashamed of you. You pledged your loyalty to us all those years ago... And this is how you repay us?”
Katherine replied, “You were cruel and abusive to me. You forced me into this against my will. Jason set me free from my imprisonment.”
Henry with a look of disappointment said, “I am afraid I will have to kill you, but first... I will make sure you witness the death of Jason. KILL HIM!!!”
Henry disappeared into thin air as the army began to fulfill his order. Jason backed up as the army approached. Suddenly, he tripped over something sharp. He picked up the object. It was a short sword. The same short sword that Jason trained with.
Elizabeth whispered, “Do you have a plan?”
Jason held out his hand and a flame appeared. It was quickly extinguished by the warm breeze.
Jason whispered back, “Run?”
Katherine said, “That sounds like a good plan.”
The group of four waded through the water like it was thick oil. The army, following, went into offensive formation. As the water cleared, Jason saw what the army actually looked like. The soldiers were made of mud from the bottom of the swamp. Jason had a plan...
Part II
As the edge of the swamp appeared, Jason whispered his plan to Augustus, Elizabeth, and Katherine. Just as Jason walked onto the shore, he heard a man cry out for help. Jason saw the man inside an entanglement of thorn bushes.
Jason said, “We should save him.”
Augustus sighed as everyone charged back into the water. When the heroes got to the edge of the thorn bushes, they discovered the bushes were enchanted with powerful magic.
Katherine said, “I know who he is... that man is Lythos. He is an ancient deity.”
Katherine’s hands glowed white as her magic blasted the enchantment. Jason watched in horror as she aged and became old. Finally, the thorn bushes exploded, releasing Lythos. Katherine stopped her magic and fell to the ground, frail and vulnerable.
Katherine said, “Hopefully this will make up for what I have done over the years...”
Katherine shut her eyes and crossed over into the light. Lythos grabbed her and stabbed his hand into her guts.
Jason asked, “What are you doing?”
Lythos said, “It isn’t your time.”
A yellow, smoky, figure came down and went into the mouth of Katherine. She instantly awoke, gasping for air. Her hair turned from white to black. Her skin was no longer wrinkled and weathered.
Elizabeth asked, “How did you do that without dying?”
Lythos replied, “I am a god, I have unlimited power. I can’t be harmed by anything except one sword... the Hero’s Gladius.”
Augustus asked, “Where did you come from?”
Lythos sighed and replied, “I am Omidron’s brother. I always knew he was evil. He imprisoned me and took over the world.”
The army was approaching the edge of the swamp, still in offensive formation.
Lythos continued, “We must collect 4 gems and combine them to make the Hero’s Gladius. This is the only way to stop Omidron.”
Everyone heard the commander of the army yell, “Surrender now or die!”
The army was advancing, preparing to strike. Lythos whispered his plan and everyone agreed. The group waded through the water and walked out onto the shore.
Jason said, “We need to get them away from the water.”
The group ran until they reached the fields, about a mile from the swamp. The army was massive. Thousands upon thousands of swamp creatures gathered to kill Jason and end the fight. Jason heard Henry in his head, taunting him, trying to scare him into losing the fight.
Jason yelled, “NO! YOU WILL NOT WIN!”
A voice said, “Well, well, well... I assume you came here to die? Henry has always lured people here for me. CHARGE!!!”
The army went into motion, running across the field.
Elizabeth yelled, “NOW!”
Lythos’s hands glowed orange as he shot fire into the crowd of troops. The fire stopped them right in their tracks. Their skin hardened and began to crack. They even began to glow orange. The army finally melted into a pool of lava. What happened next had to be witchcraft. The army re-formed out of the lava and instantly cooled.
A voice said, “This forest is enchanted you fool, kill us and we reform.”
Jason said, “You are the fool.”
Lythos clapped his hands together and teleported everyone to an oasis. Lythos danced to the speed of time. Jason thought he hadn’t even moved until he saw every soldier fall down dead with a wound to the heart. Jason looked around and saw nothing but desert outside the pool and palm trees.
Lythos said, “We can stay here for tonight. This oasis is protected from the outside by an enchantment spell.”
Jason replied, “So that is why this isn’t desert.”
Jason looked up at the stars and reflected on his journey. He remembered Henry betraying him, Isaac dying from the dryad attack, the Bird of Auduron masquerading as Queen Evelynn and trying to kill him, and poor Balthazar’s broken heart. The heroes went to sleep not knowing what lay ahead...
Part III
Everyone awoke to the sound of a large beast attacking the enchantment spell. Cracks were beginning to form in the magic walls. Worst of all, Lythos was gone. However, he left a note saying he had gone away because he was not allowed to intervene in mortal affairs. The cracks widened as the beast continued to strike the walls.
Jason ordered, “Grab your weapons and get ready!”
A large crack spread up the side of the walls. As the beast struck again, the walls shattered like glass. Extreme heat instantly baked the oasis causing the grass to wilt and brown, and also causing the water to evaporate. The beast looked like the swamp monsters. The beast had hidden until the right time had come. The oasis was destroyed. All that remained was a pile of dead grass and an empty water hole. The beast made circles around until night came.
Jason said, “We need to take turns keeping guard.”
Elizabeth replied, “You guys sleep first, I can stay up.”
Just as Jason fell asleep, the beast decided to make its first attack.
Elizabeth yelled, “JASON!! WAKE UP!!”
Jason mumbled, “hmurpgh...”
Elizabeth nudged Jason and yelled, “WE ARE BEING ATTACKED!!”
Jason immediately woke up and looked around. The thought of being attacked put him on high alert. The beast charged and knocked a very drowsy Augustus down. The beast had scales covered in mud.
Katherine said, “That beast is a swamp dragon.”
It turned towards Katherine and hissed. Elizabeth thought of a plan and whispered it to the others.
Elizabeth whispered, “We need to distract it while someone else attacks it.”
Elizabeth ran over to the monster and punched it. She quickly drew back. Jason stabbed the monster in the thigh and retreated, but not before getting slashed by its claws. Jason fell to the ground, bleeding badly. Augustus stabbed the disabled monster through the through the heart, killing it. Jason lay in a pool of blood.
Elizabeth cried, “We need to help him. Get the medical supplies.”
Katherine rushed to her satchel and grabbed some cloth and the bottle of whiskey. The bottle opened with a pop. Jason screamed as the whiskey burned on his wounds.
Katherine said, “Sorry, I had to sterilize your wounds before stopping the bleeding.”
Jason weakly asked, “How bad is it?”
Katherine replied, “Bad enough. Your chest is soaked in blood. We will have to stay here for a couple weeks before you will be able to move again.”
Katherine covered the wounds and wrapped the fabric firmly around Jason’s body to stop the bleeding. The blood soaked through the fabric and continued to gush out. Jason very pale, went limp. Just as that happened, Jason woke up sweating. It was a cold sweat caused by great terror. He looked at the walls of the dome. They didn’t even have one crack. Jason lay on the ground until morning came. He described his dream of the oasis getting attacked and a monster killing him.
Elizabeth said, “That is weird... I had the exact same dream.
Augustus replied, “Me too.”
After everyone had awoken, the group sat around a fire and ate breakfast. It was a quiet morning with long travel lying ahead in the next few days. The gear was packed up and the heroes set off into their next adventure...
COMING SOON: Chapter V: Desert of the Midnight Sun