The Origin Of Mount Woe Chapter 17
The Pendant
By Nanaki
12,010 B.C.
Vigo once again watched the sun coming up, but he had gotten no sleep. Melchior was standing a few meters ahead, directing the last placement of the giant chains. The Sun stone was back in the Sun keep, being augmented (at least, they thought so) by Schala's machine.Spekkio and Gaspar had stayed up talking late into the night, and were now asleep on the grass. "Well, that about does it." Melchior said without satisfaction.
Vigo just nodded. The formerly beautiful mountain of Enhasa was now riddled with ugly chains, and broken apart in many places. "Vigo, I've been thinking."
"Well I should hope so!"
"I mean, thinking specifically about you... and Schala. The Weapons weren't serious about destroying the mountain last night. They never even showed up in person. They're just trying to get us to use up our resources. I've got a little invention that may provide a little extra protection for all of you. Come by my workshop in about a half hour, and I'll get started." Vigo raised his eyebrows, but Melchior just walked off.
.
Vigo, Zeal, and Schala walked into Melchior's workshop right on time. All three of them were very tired, but since Zeal and Schala had managed to get a little sleep, they were better off than Vigo. Melchior was tirelessly peering at on old scroll, looking for more ways to combat the Weapons. Masa, Mune, and Doreen were peering at what Vigo guessed were instruments from their ship in the back of the room, and now a Nu was sleeping in the corner. "Ah, Vigo. I'm glad you found time to make it."
"It seems we've got a little spare time. Nobody's come up with a new Weapon defence in nearly three hours. So, what do you have for us?" Melchior walked over to his forge and picked up a large piece of Dreamstone.
"You all know that Dreamstone is a very strong alloy. But it now seems that if you condense it enough, it can actually absorb strength from other things."
"Like Weapon magic?" Vigo almost yelled. With Gaspar's new invention, and Melchior's Dreamstone, he might stand a chance against Serges after all.
"I don't know yet, but I'm hoping." Not another word was said as Melchior dropped the Dreamstone ingot into his forge. He quickly began hammering, turning it around evenly. Occassionally, Vigo would catch glimpses of the stone, and saw that it was getting smaller and smaller. Finally, he became bored and stopped watching. A few minutes later, a blinding blue flash washed through the room. It wasn't exaclty a flash though, first of all because it took so long, and second, because if Dreamstone flashed, it was supposed to flash red.
Vigo felt like an eternity had just taken place. Looking outside, he saw that almost no time had gone by, but it didn't feel that way. Something felt funny on his stomach. Lifting up his shirt, he saw that there was a long, ragged, longe since healed scar on his stomach. Schala was shaking her head woozily. Vigo ignored his own bodily puzzle and walked over to her. "Schala, have you been growing a lot lately?"
"No, why?" She asked, puzzled.
"You just seem taller." He looked up again, startled. "Zeal, were you wearing that dress when we came in here?"
"I think so." She said apologetically, looking down at her skirt.
"I'm too tired." Vigo sighed. "I'm going to my chambers to try and get some rest."
"Oh. Vigo." Melchior said, rubbing the back of his head. "The Dreamstone is finished. Here." Melchior took out the now small stone, and set it on a light chain. He handed Vigo the pendant."This should help in your battle against the Weapons."
"The Weapons?" Vigo's mind wandered. "Oh yeah, Serges. I really need to get some sleep."
.
Vigo was running across Enhasa plateau with Zeal, free from all responsibilities. As they neared the mountain, three bubbles appeared in the earth. They grew to an enormous size, and finally, three Weapons emerged. "Ha! I'm not afraid of you!" Vigo grinned. He activated the device Gaspar had given him. But to his frustration, only the background froze, the Weapons remained free.
"I'm afraid that won't work against us, Vigo." Serges smirked. Serges stretched out his arm, and a spell flew at Vigo, shattering the pendant. Nevertheless, Vigo leapt at them. He was surprised to find he could do physical harm to the Weapons, and after an extensive struggle, he stood triumphant over the three. "Yes! I knew I could do it! Zeal, look, now we can-" Vigo stopped. As he turned to look at Zeal, she disappeared, to be replaced by Shivan's anguished face. "No! You're dead!!"
"So are you Vigo..." Shivan howled. "So are you."
.
Vigo sat up in bed, breathing heavily. "Even in my dreams, the Weapons attack." He mumbled. He got up to the window and looked out. The sun had set about a half hour ago, to judge from the light. Catapults and bunkers filled the plateau. They were probably as ready as they could be. "C'mon you lousy Weapons!" Vigo shouted at the night. "Come and get this over with. Let's end this ordeal, because I'm sick and tired of waiting."
Suddenly, the color of the night sky began to warp. Stars appeared and disappeared at random, until they finally all winked out. The sky flashed purple, red and yellow, until it finally turned pitch black and the buildings took on an eerie red glow. Then, an utterly inhuman scream filled the eardrums of every resident of Enhasa. Vigo's eyes widened. "I really wish I hadn't just said that."
.
"If history is to be changed, let it change. If the world is to be destroyed, so be it. If my fate is to die, I must simply laugh." - Janus
.
Nanaki: Yes this was a very short chapter, but I really only wrote it for Dark Magus, so no complaints! Don't worry, all the rest of you. You know I wouldn't make you wait long to find out what happens next. Thanks to Scott Arnold for the quote.
.