The Face of the World
March 26th, 2006 by Salem
Chapter 34 - It was a long trip with tension all over. There was no explanation for the roadblock and the Blade Masters had not encountered anyone for the rest of the trip to the foot of the Cragorus Mountains. The group set up camp by a river being fed by a sloped waterfall. The moon was full as it hung high in the sky lighting the rocks that surrounded them. The men got a good fire going with Emhril getting ready to cook something. “Time for a good bath,” said Selene and she and the other women gathered some clean clothes to put on after their bath in the river. Salem took Haiku by the hand and led the child to the river. “You guys keep a sharp eye out,” said Selene, “and no peeking Jarody.” Selene walked behind the wall of rocks blocking the camp’s view of the river. “Great, now I have to look,” said Jarody sitting next to Zealot at the fire. “Give the girls their privacy,” said Zealot. “This coming from the only guy in our group who is getting some,” said Jarody. “Aren’t you doing Vivien?” said David. “Yeah, but she doesn’t count. She does whatever I tell her to. It’s no fun doing someone who isn’t trying to resist you,” said Jarody. “You are one sick, sad person,” said Detective Pacer. “I’m not a person. I am Death, Mr. Detective,” said Jarody. “I knew that already. What I mean is your mind, in comparison to that of a normal person is just primitive,” said Detective Pacer. “Whatever. I’m going to take a look at the girls, they have got to be naked by now,” said Jarody.
“I said leave them alone. They are trying to bath themselves,” said Zealot. “Come on! There are five naked girls on the other side of that rock wall!” said Jarody. “Not counting Haiku,” said David. “I am counting Haiku. Salem and Selene are twins. They count as one naked girl. “If you set eyes on my little girl!” yelled Emhril. “Relax Jumbo! I am not that into her. The other women are more than enough reason to look,” said Jarody. “How would you like it if they were taking peeks at you bathing?” asked Zealot. “I would like it just fine,” said Jarody now getting up to start sneaking to the rock wall. Zealot grabbed Jarody by his modern world jeans, “I said to leave them be.” “Don’t you want to see Christina’s huge melons? You may be getting into Selene’s pants but don’t tell me you wouldn’t want to see Christina,” said Jarody. “I respect Christina and all of the other girls,” said Zealot, “Maybe that is why the women like me more than you.” “No! They like you more because of your hemi-penis,” said Jarody. “Hemi-penis?” asked Mage Khet whose ears just shot up. “Great, you got the gay magician’s attention,” said David. “How abut you, Detective?” asked Jarody, “Have you seen Detective Lagan naked before?” “No I haven’t. We keep thing professional between us,” said Pacer. “Come on! You mean with a woman as tall, flat chested, and muscular as Lagan, you never wanted to see if she was all woman?” asked Jarody. “How tall is she anyway?” asked Mal. “She is seven foot nine,” said Detective Pacer. “Bet she can spot a thief in a crowd,” said Emhril.
When Zealot’s grip loosened, Jarody jumped to the wall out of Zealot’s reach. “Hey!” called Zealot. Jarody arrived at the rock wall and slowly looked around. He could see Selene, Christina, Detective Lagan, Vivien, Salem and Haiku sitting in the dark mirrored waters of the river. “Shit! They’re already neck deep in the water. Zealot, David and Mal go up to Jarody to try and stop him but end up joining him at the wall instead. “Witch one is Salem?” asked David. “The one with the scar on her shoulder,” said Zealot, “See, she is scrubbing Haiku’s back.” Jarody looked back at Mage Khet and Emhril who were still at the fire. “Don’t you want to look Emhril?” asked Jarody. “I have to pay attention to the food,” said Emhril. “Whoa!” said Detective Pacer. “What happened?” asked Jarody, turning back to see the girls. “Christina just stood up to turn around and got back down again,” said Zealot. “Fuck!” complained Jarody. “Never seen them that huge before,” said Detective Pacer, still amazed at what he saw. Pawn was laying on a rock next to the river when he heard Detective Pacer. Pawn jumped up and began to chirp angrily to the wall. “Shit! The rat spotted us,” said Jarody as he and the other men returned to the fire. Emhril looked almost depressed as he sat at the fire with Mage Khet. The other men took a seat with Jarody now sitting next to Emhril. “Now it couldn’t have been that recent,” said Jarody. “What’s wrong?” asked Detective Pacer. “Oh, his wife was killed by people who came from the forbidden land,” said Jarody. “Don’t you see the features on Haiku’s face? Her mother was from the forbidden land,” said Zealot. “Her mother was a slave for a Shogun. It was that Shogun who sent his men to find and kill her,” said Emhril. “I see,” said Detective Pacer.
The women had finished their bath and were heading back to the camp dressed in clean clothes and holding their dirty ones in their arms. Detective Lagan was still wearing the long trench coat she has had on from the start of the journey even though the night was still warm. “Who peeked?” asked Selene. Without hesitation, all of the men pointed to Jarody. “You guys were looking too!” yelled Jarody. The group ate the dinner Emhril had made and then found places to sleep. The women slept inside the MobilBlade while the man stayed outside and took shifts watching over the camp.
Morning quickly came as the first of the two suns came up from the horizon. The Blade Masters were up and ready for a long day of climbing. “We better get going now if we want to be at the top by nightfall,” said Selene. Mal, the detectives and Sturmer clean up the camp site to travel to the other side of the mountain to meet them on the way back down. Mage Khet had just gotten up when he walked to the foot of the mountain when Christina with her GullBlade in angel mode, and Vivien flew up with pitons, rock hammers and ropes. David was getting himself into a climbing harness, getting ready to use the ropes to climb. Selene had her WitchBlade activated and was sending an infection vein up the rock wall. Zealot pulls out his SabreBlade and uses it to grab the side of the rock wall and reels himself up to the first ledge where Christina and Vivien had just secured the first pitons. Emhril tossed his EarthBlade up to the ledge, hoping that it will stay up there but ended up crashing into the rock wall and getting lodged into the wall. It really did not make any difference to Emhril, he just reeled himself up the side of the rock wall with the eternity chain. Four of the eight legs of the HealthBlade held onto Haiku tightly as the other four legs were being used to take her up the side of the rock wall with almost no effort at all. Jarody just sat on the ground and began to flip through a picture magazine he had taken from a more modern world. Inside were pictures of naked women. David was already working his way up the rope Christina had secured on the first ledge when Mage Khet looked at the other rope. “Going up?” asked Jarody. Mage Khet looked up at the rock wall and then to Salem and Selene. Selene’s infection vein had made it to the first ledge. Salem moved in and the two women embraced in a tight hug with Selene still touching her infection vein on the rock wall. Suddenly, the twins took off up the infection vein and on the ledge as fast as it took Christina and Vivien to fly up to it. “I think I’ll stay with Mal and the detectives,” said Mage Khet. “Well you better hurry, they are about to leave,” said Jarody.
Selene was working on a second infection vein to get her and Salem to the next ledge when Salem saw Mage Khet running back to the MobilBlade. “I do not think he is coming with us,” said Salem. “Fine with us. We need to concentrate on the climb,” said Selene. The MobilBlade starts down the road again with Sturmer following behind and the Blade Masters working up to the second ledge. “Christina!” called Salem. Christina flew down to the twins. “Go down there and ask Jarody what he is up to. We are almost at the first plateau,” said Selene. Christina dived back to the bottom of the wall as Vivien secures the last of the pitons before the rest stop. Haiku was already with Vivien on the plateau. David, Zealot, and Emhril were bringing up the rear. Salem and Selene arrive on the plateau just as Christina rejoined them. Christina goes up to the twins and says, “Jarody told me he is just waiting for us to get to the top before he begins to climb.” Salem turned to Selene, “We have known him for thousands of years and there are things we still do not know about him.” “Yes sister,” replied Selene, “like just how lazy he can be.” David, Zealot, and Emhril finally arrive on the plateau and are understandably tired from the climb. “You know,” said a panting Zealot, “I find it funny how the girls have an easy way to get up here and we have to, you know, actually climb.” “So I guess we can forget setting up the fire and cooking while you guys rest up for the climb to the next plateau,” said Salem. Zealot just turned and said, “Oh wow! Look at that view! I can see the Hoofar Palace from here!” Suddenly, a giant Grim Reaper appeared on the side of the mountain and simply stepped on the plateau like a person would on the first step on a staircase. As soon as the giant skeletal foot landed, Death returned to a normal size and transformed back in to Jarody. “I knew I smelled food cooking!” yelled Jarody.
After lunch, the Blade Masters were gathering to climb up to the next plateau just before the top. Selene had already started forming an infection vein up the wall as Christina and Vivien gather more pitons. “Looks like something just jumped from the top,” said David. Salem tried to block the suns from her eyes as she looked up at the small object falling toward them. “I think I know that dark speck,” said Zealot. The object became larger and larger until a sound could be heard from it. “I am beginning to think you are right, Zealot,” said Selene. The noise got loud enough for the group to hear it sat, “FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIST!” “Oh no, It can’t be him!” said Zealot. Selene could not let go of the rock wall, not if she wanted to get the vein all the way up the wall to the first ledge. “You guys go ahead and head up,” said Zealot, “I can take care of this guy on my own.” “Zealot, this is not a competition where there are rules to limit him,” said Selene, “He can kill you.” Salem gave her sister a tight hug as the infection vein reached the first ledge. “Now why did I not guess that Fist is a mountain dwarf,” said Salem. The others began to climb up when Fist came crashing down and bounding the ground hard enough to almost throw everyone off the mountain. Fist appeared to be unfazed by his hard landing.
The malformed mountain dwarf stood on his tiny legs with both of his huge fists up in the air. Zealot just stands against the rock wall with his legs crossed looking as if he was waiting for something, “Well, of all the people in this world to run into on the side of a mountain.” “FIST!” yelled the dwarf as he began his attack. Fist swipes at the air with his open hand, sending a wave of compressed air in Zealot’s direction. Zealot had learned to expect this and had a solid plan for it since he fought fist in the Tagi Challenge. The compression wave gets to Zealot as he jumped over it knowing that his attack leaves Fist open for an attack. Zealot raises his SabreBlade as he comes down. Zealot landed on the ground but his attack did not connect. Fist had rolled out of the way and launched a roundhouse punch to Zealot who was caught and flew back. Zealot used the Rock wall to jump back to Fist and launches a new attack. “Fist!” yelled the warrior as Zealot used his SabreBlade. The SabreBlade wrapped around Fist’s waist to start squeezing the life out of the small troll. Salem was looking down from the first ledge as Selene was busy creating an infection vein to the second one, just before the second plateau. “I think they are replaying their fight from the Tagi Challenge,” said Salem. Fist used his huge hands to pull Zealot to him and closer to the edge of the plateau. Zealot knew that he could not win this little contest and began to run to Fist. Fist was caught off guard by this new move and simply held on tight to the eternity chain of Zealot’s SabreBlade. Zealot passed Fist and jumped off the ledge. Fist was yanked off the plateau by the weight of the lizard man. Zealot grabbed the rope that was secured with pitons by Vivien and retracted his SabreBlade. The SabreBlade released Fist as the mountain dwarf flew past Zealot and continued to fall to the ground below. “Who’s king of the mountain now?!” yelled Zealot.
Mal drove the MobilBlade with Detective Lagan, Detective Pacer and Mage Khet inside down the mountain path into a thick forest of trees. Mal was not sure that this path led to the other side of the mountain, but he had no other path to follow. Brother In-law and Need A Smoke were leading the six horse pull team even though the MobilBlade was actually moving on it’s own. Brother In-law thought this was the best job in the world for a horse and Need A Smoke was still wearing the now wilted flower wreath he got from the Equestrian Grand Prix. At the back, Syntax was still enjoying his time next to the love of his life, Raptor. This has been the longest he had been next to her and yet it still did not feel long enough. Darkwind and Skyclap were the only ones who were taking things very seriously. They were the only two who have had the experience when on a journey and it showed. Raptor was doing the same as Darkwind and Skyclap. Raptor was created by Jarody and given enough intelligence to survive the trip. All three of them had full awareness of the surroundings. Suddenly, Darkwind stopped bringing the whole team and the MobilBlade to an abrupt halt. Sturmer quickly ducks inot the bushes to the left of the MobilBlade and disappears. It did not take long for Raptor to notice what made Darkwind stop. “Comon you! This isn’t time to smell the flowers,” yelled Mal, “What happened?” called Detective Lagan from inside the MobilBlade. “The horses stopped on their own,” yelled Mal. Skyclap caught on to what Darkwind and Raptor were tracking around the trees. Skyclap felt that it would be better to make a run for it than to try and hide by standing still. Mal jumped off the driver’s seat and onto the walkway that ran between the horses, “What’s gotten into you?! You’ve had plenty of!” Mal was between Darkwind and Skyclap when he realized what was going on. He could not see it from above on the driver’s seat, but now he could. Mal turned and walked back trying hard not to run. “Anything wrong?” asked Detective Pacer from inside the MobilBlade. “There is nothing wrong at all,” lied Mal, “The horses just wanted to stop for a little rest. We will be on our way shortly.” Then Mal thinks to himself, “Where the Hell is Zealot’s guard dog when we need him?”
Mal tried his best not to look at the tree to the far right where he had spotted the head of what looked to be some sort of dragon. He did not want to get a better look at it. Doing so would have tipped it off that he knew it was there. All Mal can really think of was to get back to the driver’s seat of his Blade and activate the Tank mode for protection. Mal had just reached the small ladder that led up to the seat when in the corner of his eye, two more animals snuck behind the trees on both sides of the path. “We are being ambushed,” thought Mal. “No, do not go out there! Mal’s got things under control,” said Detective Lagan from inside as Detective Pacer exited the MobilBlade. Mal was halfway up the ladder when Detective Pacer called, “Mal?!” A loud horrific and inhuman scream came from behind the MobilBlade and one of the creatures leaped from around a tree and grabbed Mal off the ladder. A second animal pounced on Detective Pacer. Both men yelled causing Detective Lagan to close and lock the door. “What’s going on out there?!” yelled Mage Khet in fright. Detective Lagan did not answer, she was too busy looking out every window of the MobilBlade to get a look of where Mal and Pacer were and of what just attacked. Another loud scream was heard and something landed on the roof of the MobilBlade. Detective Lagan pulled out her musket and made sure that there was a shot inside, ready to use. Detective Lagan knew it was some sort of creature and it had to have large claws, for she can hear them tap on the metal of the roof. Mage Khet had gone from looking absolutely bored to all out frightened as he went to lie on the floor. He did not want whatever was out there to see him through a window. Suddenly, one of the monsters ran past the left side of the MobilBlade to the front. Detective Lagan got a good look at it. It looked to be a dragon but it did not have wings. What it did have was something Lagan did not like. Long razor like claws, twelve of them in total but two of them being on each foot and looking to be about six inches long. It also looked to have something metal over its eyes. The continued sound on the roof also told Lagan that there were more then just one of the animals outside. Snarling could be heard in front of the MobilBlade as the horses began to whinny in fright. The MobilBlade began to move forward and back knocking Lagan onto a seat. The animal that was on the roof jumped down to the right side of the MobilBlade and began to scratch at the door. Lagan could not hold her musket. Her heart was now beating in her throat. Detective Lagan got up again and put her back against the door on the opposite side, ready to shoot the animal trying to enter. Then the door behind her opened and Detective Lagan fell out. The fall to the ground took forever as all she could do was watch one of the animals pouncing on her.
The group had reached the second plateau and was waiting for Zealot to catch up. “There it is,” said Selene, “thirty more minutes of climbing and we will be there.” The top of Zealot’s SabreBlade comes over the plateau’s ledge and Selene walks over to it to help Zealot up. Emhril was out of breath and was gulping up the water his daughter was giving him. This had been the most David’s arms had ever hurt. Being the only one who cannot use his Blade to climb, he has to use the ropes Christina secures for him. Jarody does his giant trick again and catches up with the others. “I have a wild idea,” said David, “Why not let Jarody carry us up to the top?” “You really want to put your self in the hand of death?” asked Salem, “Go ahead.” “Well since you put it that way,” said David. “Do not worry David, The climbing is almost over. It will be all downhill from here,” said Selene. The group looked up to the top of the mountain. “All this way,” said Salem, “and our journey has yet to really begin.”