Daniel Gibson
20th December 2002, 08:14 AM
Chaos Quest Prologue - R1
By Chikiko (Chikiko@blastcomm.com)
When the signal was given, Ranma splashed himself, transforming into a
girl. But then things started to go crazy. He felt himself change back and
forth between his different forms. If felt as if his body was fighting a
battle. Every time he became a boy he felt the curse trying to change him
back, but it seemed to be getting harder as the magic pulsed through his
body. He had completely lost track of the others due to the constant
shifting of his forms.
It was one of the few times in his life he was thankful for his curse.
When he changed forms it was a comparatively minor thing since he only
shrunk a few inches, unlike Moose or Ryouga, who shrunk several feet. He
could only imagine how dazed they must have felt.
Oddly, he felt another strange sensation envelope him. Every time he
changed forms, it would feel different than it normally felt. Something
besides a simple change in sex was happening to him, but he didn't know
what or how. He was starting to feel tired though. Extremely tired who
would have known changing sex could be so tiring so..... tiring........
As his body slowly lowered to the ground he fell fast asleep. His body
still changed form every so often, but with each transformation his body
gradually started shrinking. So much that by the time he finally stopped
shifting forms, he had shrunk over four feet in his male form. His girl
form also changed, she had lost nearly 3 feet from her height. But unlike
his male form, there were much more pronounced changes to his girl form.
Which amongst other things were tall pointed ears.
Ranma laid there in the grass for nearly an hour before he was
discovered. As he approached, Ranma slowly opened her eyes, due to the
sudden stench that suddenly flooded her small nose. She looked up to see an
ugly, green skinned tusked creature approaching her. Besides the fact that
it smelled like a month old garbage dump, it didn't look very nice. Doing
the first things that came to mind, she let out a high pitched scream and
ran away from it as fast as her tiny little legs would carry her screaming
the entire way.
Varlon had been on his way back to Freeport from visiting a former
student of the Ashen Order. He left to open a small inn just outside of
Freeport in the common lands. When he suddenly heard the shout of a little
girl nearby followed by the guttural shout of an orc. He quickly took off
running.
He had heard rumors from both the militia and some of the common land
residents about the orc setting up a new settlement close to Freeport led
by some orc lord named Shin Ra. This news had greatly upset the citizens of
Freeport. Freeport was the world's largest city, the trade center of all
Norrath, the last thing anyone wanted was the constant attacks typical of
Qeynos or the Elven and Dwarven cities on Faydwer.
The scream got louder as he caught site of the girl. The orc had her
trapped against the mountains. Varlon became angry with himself. He was to
far away to save the girl. She was a cute little Elven girl too. He cursed
the orcs. <How could anything be so evil as to kill a defenseless child,
especially one as cute as that little Elven girl? >
He watched with morbid fascination as the young orc lifted his ax
above his head and down toward the girl, only for the girl to dodge to the
side. Something suddenly seemed to happen as the girl's hair began to
darken, as she started to grow a bit taller and took on a more human
appearance. In fact he thought she seemed to look like a human boy now.
The orc gave a confused grunt and swung his axe again. Just like
before, the boy dodged the ax, and as the ax hit the ground he sent a kick
to the orc's shin. The orc roared in pain and fury as it raised its ax
again. the little boy moved to dodge again, only to trip over a branch
falling right in front of the orc.
This time Varlon reached the orc in time. With one swift kick and the
orc was left without his weapon. It turned angrily to look at Varlon. But
Varlon was also angry. Angry at what the orc was going to do. He viscously
attacked the small orc, just as he had planned to do to the little.....
child.
The orc hit the ground with a sickening thud. Seeing the orc fall the
boy ran to Varlon and grabbed hold of his leg tightly. He felt the boy
shift ever so slightly and looked down. He saw little Elven ears sticking
out of a small messy mat of red hair tied back into a pig tail. The girl
looked up to him, her small almond shaped sapphire eyes wet with tears. He
picked the now girl up and wiped the tears from her eyes.
Not knowing if she would even understand him, he said. "Shhh, there
now, there no reason to cry, its gone. That mean orc won't hurt you. You're
safe now." he said with a smile.
Seeing Varlon's smile, she smiled back. Her blue eyes shining
brightly, she hugged him tightly around his neck. "You're a cute little
kid, you know that? So know the question is who and what exactly are you?"
The girl just rest her head between his head and shoulders, sighing
contentily. He chuckled to himself. "Well elf or not we can't leave you
here by yourself in these woods."
Together they started towards back towards Freeport. It wasn't long
before he felt a shift on his shoulder. He carefully tilted his head to
look at the child he was holding and just as he expected he was now holding
a little human boy. He mentally shook his head. Who ever or what ever this
child was, the child was spectacular. He thought perhaps the child to be an
enchanter, for they would often cast spells on themselves to make other
perceive them as other races. But that was just an illusion, he'd felt the
child literally grow in his arms. And the child's bravery! To stand up
against an orc at the child's age was incredible. Sure it was only an orc
pawn, the equivalent of young orc teen. But for a child that young it must
have seemed a great monstrous beast. <which except for the big part was
actually true> he thought.
Still to not only to fight back, but to actually hit hard enough to
hurt the orc through its thick hide said a lot about this child. This child
was extremely special. The first thing he would do is bring this child to
the elders of the order.
After reaching the guild House of the Ashen Order. He tucked the child
into bed and quickly ran to academy of arcane science. It took him a while
to find the section for those who trained to be enchanters. After finding
it he quickly found the headmaster of that department. "Headmaster if I may
have a moment of your time. I have a few questions I need to ask you."
"Why yes of course, what may I do for you brother..."
"Varlon" he answered quickly. "My name is Varlon. I was just had a few
questions on magical illusions. How exactly do they work?"
"Ah now that is a familiar question, although usually from my students
not from a monk. Its somewhat hard to explain unless your versed with the
use of magic."
"No, no. I'm sorry I mean to say one cast a spell of illusion on
themselves, is it real? Does the person actually change his form and body?"
"Why no of course not, as you said its just an illusion. Yes we gets
some of the abilities granted of a person like an elf's vision, but we are
still the same person despite what others perceive."
"So if I were to hold someone in my arms as they cast a spell of
illusions I wouldn't feel a change as their body took a new form?"
"Yes that is correct. That would be impossible since one does not
really change form."
"How difficult is it to cast these illusions spells?"
"Some aren't very difficult at all. After a few years of training as
an enchanter most usually learn their one or two illusions spells. While
others are extremely hard to do, and must take years of study."
"So no child should ever be able to cast one then?"
"Of course not! Even the most simple of spells require years of
training and large degree of intelligence."
"I see, thank you headmaster. You have help shed a great deal of light
into a situation I've recently encountered."
Varlon returned to his room. The monk he had left to watch the child
said he hadn't woken yet. Dismissing the monk, he began to prepare food. He
was almost done making food, when he felt a pair of small arms wrap around
his legs. He looked down to the curious eyes of the little elf girl. "Ah
your awake! you hungry?"
She nodded her head as her stomach grumbled loudly.
Varlon laughed. "I guess that's a yes! Well have a seat I'll be done
in a minute."
He finished the food and sat down at the table. "Here you go dinner's
ready." He was surprised to see her eyes light up just before she began to
dig into her food with gusto. "You sure like doing that a lot don't you?"
The girl continued happily eating at her food. "So what's your name?"
The girl looked up "I dun know, the food was yummy can I have more
please?"
Varlon smiled "yes of course, here have some more." he poured her some
more food, before asking her. "Why were you in the forest alone?"
"I dun know. I just woke up and that icky yucky smelly ugly thing was
there and then you came and rescued me!"
"What about your parents?"
The girl shrugged again. "I dun remember anything"
"Well, how would you like a place to stay? If you want you can stay
here with me."
"Can I?
"Of course, but you're going to need a name."
"Hmm....." he said visibly trying to think.
"What about Aeril?" Varlon suggested.
She nodded approvingly and held out her plate again. "Can I have
more?"
Varlon laughed aloud. "Sure you can. You one hungry little one aren't
you? You can have as much as you'd like. This is your home now. "
*****
From that day on, Varlon took care of him raising him like his own
child. He called for headmaster Tolan to see if he could explain Aeril's
strange change. But after witnessing it a few times he could no sooner
explain it than Varlon. The only thing he did notice is that the change
usually happened during emotional times.
Varlon noticed that Aeril would change into a girl during times of
extreme emotion especially happiness or sadness. When he started training
Aeril in the ways of being a monk, he found the boy a natural. He took to
the art like a fish to the sea.
Varlon also noticed that he would usually take his male form while
training. He was extremely skilled and was always the best of his class
which was usually with students much older than him. But whenever some
started to prove to much for him, he would usually switch over to his
female side which was much more agile.
He was so good that Varlon took began to take him outside the gate.
Many of the young ones would come out here to hunt the large animals that
would bother many of the travelers. Aeril got bored of fighting those
animals and looked for something harder to fight. His answer was the small
skeletons that would often appear.
It was suspected they came from the cursed Nekultos forest, home of
the insidious Dark Elves. It was a well known fact that due to the dark
magics of that forest, many undead roamed tt forest. So much that now even
the Dark elves themselves would hunt them. Often some of those skeletons
would wander away from the forest into the commanlands and into Freeport.
Many of the young would be adventures would often take the mantle of
protecting there home from the undead. Aeril also took to the hunting of
undead. He hoped to one day get good enough to try to earn his white
training sash, which would make him an official member of the ashen order.
One early spring day when he and Varlon were returning to the city
from fighting off some of the large animals, they noticed a large commotion
near the west gates. When they got there they found several guards arguing
with a large ogre.
To Aeril he was the largest person he'd ever seen. Heedless to the
danger Aeril ran up to the ogre to take a closer look. "Look Varlon what is
it?"
The ogre turned to look at the small boy. "Stay away from him Aeril,
that's an ogre. Ogre's are very mean and like doing bad things to children.
Let the guards take care of him."
The excitement was too much for him and he turned into a girl. "But
he's so big! He's even taller than you."
The ogre's eye's went wide when he saw the change. "Is you boy?" he
said to her.
The girls eye's brightened. The tall ogre thing was talking with her
"Hi! I'm Aeril! And this is my pappa Varlon. What's your name?"
The ogre was going to say something, but noticed the looks the other
were giving him especially Varlon. "Me is Bomba the Big! Me uh wants to uh
live here. No like living in Oggok, is smelly and food is bad! Me want sell
to eat good food."
"We know the kinds of food, you'd like to eat ogre. You're not welcome
here. You and your kind have ruined your lands, you'll not ruin ours!"
"Please Mr. Let Bomba stay! He's a nice ogre! He won't hurt anyone
watch!" Aeril ran and jumped on the ogre, grabbing onto his legs.
"Aeril! No don't!" Varlon yelled out, but it was to late. The ogre
quickly picked him up. He was about ready to attack the stupid beast,
scared of what it might to do to his child. But instead of the many things
he had thought, the ogre put the child behind is head, as if he were going
to give her a piggy back ride.
"Wow! I can see so far from up here! Can we keep him?" wrapping her
little arms around his neck, giving him a big hug.
Varlon looked at the ogre for a second. When she hugged him, his face
changed for a second. Now he had fought ogre's many time. In his opinion
the lot of them were stupid beasts. He had seen many emotions show on an
ogre's face. From anger, hate, and rage. But his face held none of that. It
was a soft look one similar to look one has when they remember a fond
memory. He saw both happiness and sadness in the ogre's face.
The ogre noticed Varlon looking at him and he quickly picked the child
up and placed him back on the ground. "Bomba stay here, and eat good food."
"Please! Please! He's a nice ogre!" Aeril pleaded to Varlon he said
"Please! Pretty please!"
Varlon sighed. "I'm sorry, but it not my decision! The guards are the
one who have to decide."
"Absolutely not! We can't have your kind around here!"
Aeril got mad and became a boy again. he ran to the guard and kicked
him in the shin. "Aeril! That was uncalled for!" Varlon said scolding him.
"But its not fair! All he wants is food and a nice place to stay. What
happened to all that talk of peace and love! He's a nice ogre! If he wanted
to be mean he woulda done something mean. But he walked up to the gate and
asked permission. Why must you be so mean to him? What has he done to be
treated so mean?" Tears came to his eyes switching him to a girl as she
became sad. "Why can't you give him a chance? Please let him stay? Please?
He's a nice ogre!"
The guards looked at each other. They had all come to love Aeril. The
sometimes boy sometimes girl was full of passion. He would often bring the
guards lunch or some small trinket.
Malin, the guard he kicked earlier, could remember the day Aeril came
to the gate dragging a great sword. The sword itself taller than the boy,
but he pulled it by himself refusing anyone's help. It took the boy a great
deal of time, but when he finally reached the gate he proudly presented the
sword to him as a gift to help protect the city.
Malin felt touched. The sword was old and thoroughly rusted, but how
could he refuse the boy. He had dragged it all the way to the gate, just to
give it to him. Just like before he found it hard to deny the boy turned
girl. Most people thought of the city militia as corrupted and evil. He saw
the way many of the city's clerics and paladins would glare at him as they
past. He could not help that militia leaders were corrupted, he joined the
militia to help protect the city. Could the boy have been right? Could this
be a rare ogre?
"Please" the girl continued "I'll bring him food if you want. I'll
even feed him everyday! Pretty please!"
Malin looked at the ogre. "If you are what you say ogre, you may sell
your wares at the city gate to who ever, might buy from you, where we can
keep an eye on you. Do anything even slightly questionable and I'll
personally have kick your large hide from here all the way back to Oggok."
"Thank you so much Malin! I'm sorry for kicking you!" She said
somewhat she Then looking at Aeril who was once again climbing the ogre he
said. "Come Aeril, let the ogre set up his shop. We still have more
training to do."
"Ok Varlon. Bye Boomba I'll bring you some food later!"
As they walked away Boomba looked after the child and plopped down
heavily on the ground just outside the city gate and set up camp. And made
a small booth so he could sell his few wares.
Weeks went by and Boomba sat outside the gate feeling miserable. He
had yet to sell a single thing. But true to his word Aeril, brought him
food everyday. Boomba watched him as he fought. He saw the boy fight the
skeletons everyday, and admired his skill as a fighter. While the rest of
the children fought rats and snakes, this child fought skeletons. He was
proud of the boy, and quite fond of him. Not only did he feed him everyday,
since no one else would even so much as talk with him, but all the boy gave
him all the loot he received from killing the skeletons.
Within a few months Boomba had a large collection of rusty weapons and
several sets of tattered clothing. But for all his wares he still hadn't
had a single customer.
That all changed after a late day in the fall. He was preparing to
pack his wares when he saw a young boy out chasing after a skeleton. At
first he thought it might have been Aeril, but the boys hair wasn't in the
familiar pigtail Aeril had. He was about to ignore the boy and put his
stuff away when he noticed a large orc sneaking up on the boy. The large
ogre took off running toward the boy.
One of the guards seeing the ogre running toward the boy, thought he
was running out to hurt him. He called for reinforcements and ran after the
ogre. With his sword in hand he swung at the ogre cutting him in his
massive arm. The ogre screamed in pain and swung at the guard. The blow
caught him directly in the gut, driving the wind out of him.
A scream caught both of there attention. They both looked up to see
the large orc beating on the boy. He attempted to run but the orc knocked
him down. Boomba began to run toward the boy. His large muscled legs got
him to the boy in no time. The orc was to busy beating on the child to
notice the large ogre, so when the first blow came he was completely taken
by surprise.
One kick from the ogres large foot pushed the orc back ten feet
landing roughly on his butt. Not giving him a chance to stand the ogre
slammed his large fist into him again and again. finally satisfied the orc
would do no one any harm again he turned back to the boy.
In the time it took him to kill the ogre he noticed several guards
surrounding the boy. Guard Malin was there, looking extremely worried.
Seeing the large ogre they parted. The ogre knelt down next to the boy and
began chanting and suddenly the boy was covered in a blue aura. One of the
guards was about to stop him when Malin stopped him. "Stop it damn you.
Don't you see he's healing him. He's my son, let him heal him."
Boomba stood after a few minutes. "He good now. Need sleep. He tough
warrior, he live and fight tomorrow. Boomba go sleep now."
By Chikiko (Chikiko@blastcomm.com)
When the signal was given, Ranma splashed himself, transforming into a
girl. But then things started to go crazy. He felt himself change back and
forth between his different forms. If felt as if his body was fighting a
battle. Every time he became a boy he felt the curse trying to change him
back, but it seemed to be getting harder as the magic pulsed through his
body. He had completely lost track of the others due to the constant
shifting of his forms.
It was one of the few times in his life he was thankful for his curse.
When he changed forms it was a comparatively minor thing since he only
shrunk a few inches, unlike Moose or Ryouga, who shrunk several feet. He
could only imagine how dazed they must have felt.
Oddly, he felt another strange sensation envelope him. Every time he
changed forms, it would feel different than it normally felt. Something
besides a simple change in sex was happening to him, but he didn't know
what or how. He was starting to feel tired though. Extremely tired who
would have known changing sex could be so tiring so..... tiring........
As his body slowly lowered to the ground he fell fast asleep. His body
still changed form every so often, but with each transformation his body
gradually started shrinking. So much that by the time he finally stopped
shifting forms, he had shrunk over four feet in his male form. His girl
form also changed, she had lost nearly 3 feet from her height. But unlike
his male form, there were much more pronounced changes to his girl form.
Which amongst other things were tall pointed ears.
Ranma laid there in the grass for nearly an hour before he was
discovered. As he approached, Ranma slowly opened her eyes, due to the
sudden stench that suddenly flooded her small nose. She looked up to see an
ugly, green skinned tusked creature approaching her. Besides the fact that
it smelled like a month old garbage dump, it didn't look very nice. Doing
the first things that came to mind, she let out a high pitched scream and
ran away from it as fast as her tiny little legs would carry her screaming
the entire way.
Varlon had been on his way back to Freeport from visiting a former
student of the Ashen Order. He left to open a small inn just outside of
Freeport in the common lands. When he suddenly heard the shout of a little
girl nearby followed by the guttural shout of an orc. He quickly took off
running.
He had heard rumors from both the militia and some of the common land
residents about the orc setting up a new settlement close to Freeport led
by some orc lord named Shin Ra. This news had greatly upset the citizens of
Freeport. Freeport was the world's largest city, the trade center of all
Norrath, the last thing anyone wanted was the constant attacks typical of
Qeynos or the Elven and Dwarven cities on Faydwer.
The scream got louder as he caught site of the girl. The orc had her
trapped against the mountains. Varlon became angry with himself. He was to
far away to save the girl. She was a cute little Elven girl too. He cursed
the orcs. <How could anything be so evil as to kill a defenseless child,
especially one as cute as that little Elven girl? >
He watched with morbid fascination as the young orc lifted his ax
above his head and down toward the girl, only for the girl to dodge to the
side. Something suddenly seemed to happen as the girl's hair began to
darken, as she started to grow a bit taller and took on a more human
appearance. In fact he thought she seemed to look like a human boy now.
The orc gave a confused grunt and swung his axe again. Just like
before, the boy dodged the ax, and as the ax hit the ground he sent a kick
to the orc's shin. The orc roared in pain and fury as it raised its ax
again. the little boy moved to dodge again, only to trip over a branch
falling right in front of the orc.
This time Varlon reached the orc in time. With one swift kick and the
orc was left without his weapon. It turned angrily to look at Varlon. But
Varlon was also angry. Angry at what the orc was going to do. He viscously
attacked the small orc, just as he had planned to do to the little.....
child.
The orc hit the ground with a sickening thud. Seeing the orc fall the
boy ran to Varlon and grabbed hold of his leg tightly. He felt the boy
shift ever so slightly and looked down. He saw little Elven ears sticking
out of a small messy mat of red hair tied back into a pig tail. The girl
looked up to him, her small almond shaped sapphire eyes wet with tears. He
picked the now girl up and wiped the tears from her eyes.
Not knowing if she would even understand him, he said. "Shhh, there
now, there no reason to cry, its gone. That mean orc won't hurt you. You're
safe now." he said with a smile.
Seeing Varlon's smile, she smiled back. Her blue eyes shining
brightly, she hugged him tightly around his neck. "You're a cute little
kid, you know that? So know the question is who and what exactly are you?"
The girl just rest her head between his head and shoulders, sighing
contentily. He chuckled to himself. "Well elf or not we can't leave you
here by yourself in these woods."
Together they started towards back towards Freeport. It wasn't long
before he felt a shift on his shoulder. He carefully tilted his head to
look at the child he was holding and just as he expected he was now holding
a little human boy. He mentally shook his head. Who ever or what ever this
child was, the child was spectacular. He thought perhaps the child to be an
enchanter, for they would often cast spells on themselves to make other
perceive them as other races. But that was just an illusion, he'd felt the
child literally grow in his arms. And the child's bravery! To stand up
against an orc at the child's age was incredible. Sure it was only an orc
pawn, the equivalent of young orc teen. But for a child that young it must
have seemed a great monstrous beast. <which except for the big part was
actually true> he thought.
Still to not only to fight back, but to actually hit hard enough to
hurt the orc through its thick hide said a lot about this child. This child
was extremely special. The first thing he would do is bring this child to
the elders of the order.
After reaching the guild House of the Ashen Order. He tucked the child
into bed and quickly ran to academy of arcane science. It took him a while
to find the section for those who trained to be enchanters. After finding
it he quickly found the headmaster of that department. "Headmaster if I may
have a moment of your time. I have a few questions I need to ask you."
"Why yes of course, what may I do for you brother..."
"Varlon" he answered quickly. "My name is Varlon. I was just had a few
questions on magical illusions. How exactly do they work?"
"Ah now that is a familiar question, although usually from my students
not from a monk. Its somewhat hard to explain unless your versed with the
use of magic."
"No, no. I'm sorry I mean to say one cast a spell of illusion on
themselves, is it real? Does the person actually change his form and body?"
"Why no of course not, as you said its just an illusion. Yes we gets
some of the abilities granted of a person like an elf's vision, but we are
still the same person despite what others perceive."
"So if I were to hold someone in my arms as they cast a spell of
illusions I wouldn't feel a change as their body took a new form?"
"Yes that is correct. That would be impossible since one does not
really change form."
"How difficult is it to cast these illusions spells?"
"Some aren't very difficult at all. After a few years of training as
an enchanter most usually learn their one or two illusions spells. While
others are extremely hard to do, and must take years of study."
"So no child should ever be able to cast one then?"
"Of course not! Even the most simple of spells require years of
training and large degree of intelligence."
"I see, thank you headmaster. You have help shed a great deal of light
into a situation I've recently encountered."
Varlon returned to his room. The monk he had left to watch the child
said he hadn't woken yet. Dismissing the monk, he began to prepare food. He
was almost done making food, when he felt a pair of small arms wrap around
his legs. He looked down to the curious eyes of the little elf girl. "Ah
your awake! you hungry?"
She nodded her head as her stomach grumbled loudly.
Varlon laughed. "I guess that's a yes! Well have a seat I'll be done
in a minute."
He finished the food and sat down at the table. "Here you go dinner's
ready." He was surprised to see her eyes light up just before she began to
dig into her food with gusto. "You sure like doing that a lot don't you?"
The girl continued happily eating at her food. "So what's your name?"
The girl looked up "I dun know, the food was yummy can I have more
please?"
Varlon smiled "yes of course, here have some more." he poured her some
more food, before asking her. "Why were you in the forest alone?"
"I dun know. I just woke up and that icky yucky smelly ugly thing was
there and then you came and rescued me!"
"What about your parents?"
The girl shrugged again. "I dun remember anything"
"Well, how would you like a place to stay? If you want you can stay
here with me."
"Can I?
"Of course, but you're going to need a name."
"Hmm....." he said visibly trying to think.
"What about Aeril?" Varlon suggested.
She nodded approvingly and held out her plate again. "Can I have
more?"
Varlon laughed aloud. "Sure you can. You one hungry little one aren't
you? You can have as much as you'd like. This is your home now. "
*****
From that day on, Varlon took care of him raising him like his own
child. He called for headmaster Tolan to see if he could explain Aeril's
strange change. But after witnessing it a few times he could no sooner
explain it than Varlon. The only thing he did notice is that the change
usually happened during emotional times.
Varlon noticed that Aeril would change into a girl during times of
extreme emotion especially happiness or sadness. When he started training
Aeril in the ways of being a monk, he found the boy a natural. He took to
the art like a fish to the sea.
Varlon also noticed that he would usually take his male form while
training. He was extremely skilled and was always the best of his class
which was usually with students much older than him. But whenever some
started to prove to much for him, he would usually switch over to his
female side which was much more agile.
He was so good that Varlon took began to take him outside the gate.
Many of the young ones would come out here to hunt the large animals that
would bother many of the travelers. Aeril got bored of fighting those
animals and looked for something harder to fight. His answer was the small
skeletons that would often appear.
It was suspected they came from the cursed Nekultos forest, home of
the insidious Dark Elves. It was a well known fact that due to the dark
magics of that forest, many undead roamed tt forest. So much that now even
the Dark elves themselves would hunt them. Often some of those skeletons
would wander away from the forest into the commanlands and into Freeport.
Many of the young would be adventures would often take the mantle of
protecting there home from the undead. Aeril also took to the hunting of
undead. He hoped to one day get good enough to try to earn his white
training sash, which would make him an official member of the ashen order.
One early spring day when he and Varlon were returning to the city
from fighting off some of the large animals, they noticed a large commotion
near the west gates. When they got there they found several guards arguing
with a large ogre.
To Aeril he was the largest person he'd ever seen. Heedless to the
danger Aeril ran up to the ogre to take a closer look. "Look Varlon what is
it?"
The ogre turned to look at the small boy. "Stay away from him Aeril,
that's an ogre. Ogre's are very mean and like doing bad things to children.
Let the guards take care of him."
The excitement was too much for him and he turned into a girl. "But
he's so big! He's even taller than you."
The ogre's eye's went wide when he saw the change. "Is you boy?" he
said to her.
The girls eye's brightened. The tall ogre thing was talking with her
"Hi! I'm Aeril! And this is my pappa Varlon. What's your name?"
The ogre was going to say something, but noticed the looks the other
were giving him especially Varlon. "Me is Bomba the Big! Me uh wants to uh
live here. No like living in Oggok, is smelly and food is bad! Me want sell
to eat good food."
"We know the kinds of food, you'd like to eat ogre. You're not welcome
here. You and your kind have ruined your lands, you'll not ruin ours!"
"Please Mr. Let Bomba stay! He's a nice ogre! He won't hurt anyone
watch!" Aeril ran and jumped on the ogre, grabbing onto his legs.
"Aeril! No don't!" Varlon yelled out, but it was to late. The ogre
quickly picked him up. He was about ready to attack the stupid beast,
scared of what it might to do to his child. But instead of the many things
he had thought, the ogre put the child behind is head, as if he were going
to give her a piggy back ride.
"Wow! I can see so far from up here! Can we keep him?" wrapping her
little arms around his neck, giving him a big hug.
Varlon looked at the ogre for a second. When she hugged him, his face
changed for a second. Now he had fought ogre's many time. In his opinion
the lot of them were stupid beasts. He had seen many emotions show on an
ogre's face. From anger, hate, and rage. But his face held none of that. It
was a soft look one similar to look one has when they remember a fond
memory. He saw both happiness and sadness in the ogre's face.
The ogre noticed Varlon looking at him and he quickly picked the child
up and placed him back on the ground. "Bomba stay here, and eat good food."
"Please! Please! He's a nice ogre!" Aeril pleaded to Varlon he said
"Please! Pretty please!"
Varlon sighed. "I'm sorry, but it not my decision! The guards are the
one who have to decide."
"Absolutely not! We can't have your kind around here!"
Aeril got mad and became a boy again. he ran to the guard and kicked
him in the shin. "Aeril! That was uncalled for!" Varlon said scolding him.
"But its not fair! All he wants is food and a nice place to stay. What
happened to all that talk of peace and love! He's a nice ogre! If he wanted
to be mean he woulda done something mean. But he walked up to the gate and
asked permission. Why must you be so mean to him? What has he done to be
treated so mean?" Tears came to his eyes switching him to a girl as she
became sad. "Why can't you give him a chance? Please let him stay? Please?
He's a nice ogre!"
The guards looked at each other. They had all come to love Aeril. The
sometimes boy sometimes girl was full of passion. He would often bring the
guards lunch or some small trinket.
Malin, the guard he kicked earlier, could remember the day Aeril came
to the gate dragging a great sword. The sword itself taller than the boy,
but he pulled it by himself refusing anyone's help. It took the boy a great
deal of time, but when he finally reached the gate he proudly presented the
sword to him as a gift to help protect the city.
Malin felt touched. The sword was old and thoroughly rusted, but how
could he refuse the boy. He had dragged it all the way to the gate, just to
give it to him. Just like before he found it hard to deny the boy turned
girl. Most people thought of the city militia as corrupted and evil. He saw
the way many of the city's clerics and paladins would glare at him as they
past. He could not help that militia leaders were corrupted, he joined the
militia to help protect the city. Could the boy have been right? Could this
be a rare ogre?
"Please" the girl continued "I'll bring him food if you want. I'll
even feed him everyday! Pretty please!"
Malin looked at the ogre. "If you are what you say ogre, you may sell
your wares at the city gate to who ever, might buy from you, where we can
keep an eye on you. Do anything even slightly questionable and I'll
personally have kick your large hide from here all the way back to Oggok."
"Thank you so much Malin! I'm sorry for kicking you!" She said
somewhat she Then looking at Aeril who was once again climbing the ogre he
said. "Come Aeril, let the ogre set up his shop. We still have more
training to do."
"Ok Varlon. Bye Boomba I'll bring you some food later!"
As they walked away Boomba looked after the child and plopped down
heavily on the ground just outside the city gate and set up camp. And made
a small booth so he could sell his few wares.
Weeks went by and Boomba sat outside the gate feeling miserable. He
had yet to sell a single thing. But true to his word Aeril, brought him
food everyday. Boomba watched him as he fought. He saw the boy fight the
skeletons everyday, and admired his skill as a fighter. While the rest of
the children fought rats and snakes, this child fought skeletons. He was
proud of the boy, and quite fond of him. Not only did he feed him everyday,
since no one else would even so much as talk with him, but all the boy gave
him all the loot he received from killing the skeletons.
Within a few months Boomba had a large collection of rusty weapons and
several sets of tattered clothing. But for all his wares he still hadn't
had a single customer.
That all changed after a late day in the fall. He was preparing to
pack his wares when he saw a young boy out chasing after a skeleton. At
first he thought it might have been Aeril, but the boys hair wasn't in the
familiar pigtail Aeril had. He was about to ignore the boy and put his
stuff away when he noticed a large orc sneaking up on the boy. The large
ogre took off running toward the boy.
One of the guards seeing the ogre running toward the boy, thought he
was running out to hurt him. He called for reinforcements and ran after the
ogre. With his sword in hand he swung at the ogre cutting him in his
massive arm. The ogre screamed in pain and swung at the guard. The blow
caught him directly in the gut, driving the wind out of him.
A scream caught both of there attention. They both looked up to see
the large orc beating on the boy. He attempted to run but the orc knocked
him down. Boomba began to run toward the boy. His large muscled legs got
him to the boy in no time. The orc was to busy beating on the child to
notice the large ogre, so when the first blow came he was completely taken
by surprise.
One kick from the ogres large foot pushed the orc back ten feet
landing roughly on his butt. Not giving him a chance to stand the ogre
slammed his large fist into him again and again. finally satisfied the orc
would do no one any harm again he turned back to the boy.
In the time it took him to kill the ogre he noticed several guards
surrounding the boy. Guard Malin was there, looking extremely worried.
Seeing the large ogre they parted. The ogre knelt down next to the boy and
began chanting and suddenly the boy was covered in a blue aura. One of the
guards was about to stop him when Malin stopped him. "Stop it damn you.
Don't you see he's healing him. He's my son, let him heal him."
Boomba stood after a few minutes. "He good now. Need sleep. He tough
warrior, he live and fight tomorrow. Boomba go sleep now."