Ahh, I see. Just curious.
Now as a sidenote, keep an eye out for the update in a short while. I’m just gonna write a rant and upload the new midi, shouldn’t take me too long.
Chapter 7: The Merchant
Dion found the town market to possess even more scum than the alleys and streets. Peddlars and crooked merchants filled the area, each trying to sell some kind of useless junk. A few tried to sell something to Dion, but when they saw the bit of blood that leaked from his hands, they quickly backed away.
He decided to leave that place, but soon saw something that caught his eye. A strange man in a purple cloak and hood sat in a corner, with several bowls and containers of what appeared to be spell compenents in front of him. Strangely, he was drawn to investigate this.
“Hello, young traveller,” said the man, his voice haunty and remote. “You look like a practiciner of the arts. Might I interest you in something?”
“I have no need for garbage,” said Dion, “but if you can show me something I might actually use, then I’ll buy from you.”
“Very well. Stranger, many years ago, I was walking in the great woods outside of town when I found some strange seeds. They proved to be quite useful in the practice of magic, as they do not drain from the power of whoever eats one.” The man pulled out a small bag from beneath his cloak. He opened it, revealing five small seeds.
Dion picked up one of the seeds. Its texture was completely smooth, without so much as a crease or hint of wetness. The seed itself felt soft, yet strong. The man’s story was true. These were Lurma Seeds, used often by Zeal’s Royal Family. It was amazing that such a thing could be found here, but that was the last thing on Dion’s mind. “How much?”
The man, however, had already dissapeared, along with all of his wares, save for the seeds that were still in the bag. Dion replaced the seed he had taken out, grabbed the back, and left the market.
Already, the guards were hauling off the dead bodies. The merchant and the old man watched in fascination at their work.
“Do you really think he can help?” asked the merchant.
“Aye,” said the old man, “and we will need all the help we can get. For if Lord Shadow is not stopped soon, the world will be too far into the darkness to be saved.”
(to be continued)
Oooh, plotty, shiiiny… it’s looking good, Galloway 
You go!
Chapter 8: The New Savior
Dion approached the town gates, only to find two guards in front of them. Each was armed with a large broadsword and decorative shield, which Dion knew would provide only minimal defence against a real attack.
The two guards raised their weapons and drew forward. “No one is allowed to leave the town, stranger!” shouted one of them. “You’re under arrest!”
Dion, however, had already drawn his sword. A worried look flushed over the guards’ faces; apparantly they weren’t used to people openly resisting them before. Soon, though, their own pride overwhelmed their shock and fear, and they charged forward.
Dion sidestepped one guard and tripped another, sending him flying into a pile of mud. The guard returned to his feet, humiliated and enraged at what this foolish man had done to him. The other, meanwhile, attempted to strike from behind, but Dion turned and parried the blow without any effort.
The two guards attempted to close in, but Dion made a mad dash to the wall. Thinking that he was simply trying to escape, they ran forward. However, they didn’t realize what Dion was really doing; he was luring them into a trap. He jumped onto the wall, then backflipped off, over the heads of the guards, and delivered a strong kick to their heads.
Once again, they returned to their feet, but Dion was tired of this. He parried one blow, then sidestepped another. While one guard was recovering, he neatly sliced his head off. However, the other guard was still alive, and still very angry.
Dion blocked another blow, but the guard kicked him immediately in the chest, causing him to drop the sword in pain. The guard prepared for a fatal attack, but Dion rolled aside, despite the slight pain he still felt. Finding that his sword was too close to the guard to obtain safely, he prepared to meet his attacked barehanded.
What happened next was almost a blur. Dion felt something take control of him, something deep inside. The guard rose the broadsword again, but Dion’s hand was already outreached. All he could hear was himself muttering a few strange words, followed by an explosive surge of power escalating from his arm and through his hand.
The guard’s face turned to panic just as the blast hit. A brilliant flash of light followed, and when it faded, all that was left of the guard was a severally burnt corpse.
Dion’s sense of control came back immediately afterward. He had no idea what that power was, but it had just saved him. Somehow, it would have some role in the future of events. He could feel it in his body.
Then he saw the crowds that had witnessed what he had done. Fearing assault, he grabbed his sword and prepared to fight his way out, but he was shocked when they began to cheer. Grabbing him over their shoulders, they carried him through the streets, shouting, “The savior is here! The savior is here!”
The old man watched this, and was pleased. The people were right. This man was indeed going to be the savior of the world. If he should fail, then everything would be lost.
(to be continued)
I think it’s a cool style you’re using, giving Dion most of the chapter and then the old man the last few lines. It’s an interesting scheme.
Evil guards! Sic 'em, Fire!
…
Salamander-dragons can be so tempermental…
Chapter 9: The Masked Man
The cheering crowd continued to carry Dion through the streets in the most uncomfortable way imaginable. He tried to escape briefly, but finally decided to see where the hell they were carting him off to. After a while, though, it became clear that they were simply parading him around like some kind of sideshow, so he finally escaped.
The crowd then jumped on him, still screaming and cheering about a savior. Finally, a heavy hand grabbed Dion from behind and dragged the half-spawn into a tavern, barring the door behind him. The crowd tried to break it down, but when the guards showed up, they dashed away.
“You certainly attracted a lot of attention, stranger,” said the man. When Dion finally looked up, he saw that his rescuer was nothing more than a blonde guy with a yellow mask and white clothes. He looked more like a clown than anything else, but Dion could sense something about him. Something…familiar.
“Ah,” said the man, “I see you don’t trust me. No matter; what I have to say is vital to our quest.” He glanced around nervously, then leaned in.
"A few years ago, a warlock named Lord Shadow appeared. He quickly took over everything. All attempts to resist his army were in complete vain. A coup was attempted from Arni, but Shadow responded by destroying the entire village and killing every occupant.
“The last trace of resistance left comes from the Iron Brotherhood. You must make official contact with them if you are to get anywhere. The guards are all aware of your presence; the mob gave it away. They’re more than ready to kill a pest such as yourself. Go out the back, get a horse, and head east from the town until you reach a ruined temple.”
Dion was too weak to resist. Besides, if something like this was going on, he might as well check it out. He pulled out his compass and took a quick look, and when he looked back up, the man was gone.
Dion dashed out the back and sneaked into the stable. Finding a horse sitting in blind sight, he prepared to make a break for it, but was stopped when an arrow came whistling by his ear. An entire army of guards stood at a distance, armed with heavy crossbows.
Once again, the strange force took control of him. Raising his arm, a bolt of energy flied at the soldiers, once again free from his will. The explosion tore the entire middle column apart, and severely shook up the rest of the guards. While they ran and screamed in panic, he took the horse, launched it into a full gallop, and cleared the wall.
The old man walked up to the masked man. “I take it that he’s joining us?”
The masked man smiled. “Yes. He’s with us now.”
(to be continued)
Wee, an old man who isn’t senile!
…
Fire, you can stop blowing towns up now.
…
WATER, GET OVER HERE NOW!
Just making sure Weiila sees this…
Looking good Gallo. Sorry I didn’t comment earlier, details… sorta details will be in the next update. I’m gonna try to finish that today.
Chapter 10: The Iron Brotherhood
Dion continued his journey through the bleak countryside outside Porre. Ruined building lined the road, many of them hinting at a military use. The plants were brown and wilted; not even the grass showed any sign of life. The sky was painted a dark grey, and no sunlight pierced through the thick, unforgiving clouds. Not a single animal was to be found, either.
The whole land seemed to be suffering from some kind of hidden cancer; no doubt the one that all those mysterious people had mentioned and refferred to. Dion didn’t bother with the thought much; he just continued riding down the road.
Finally, after several hours of travelling, he reached a large temple. The building looked ancient; the walls were crumbling, with vines creeping up everywhere; the ancient runes and symbols were faded beyond recognition; the wooden double doors showed signs of rot and decay. However, Dion’s eyes soon turned to a small group of bushes near the left wall. Dismounting, he followed the sense of displacement he was feeling until he pushed them aside.
Behind the bushes were several skeletal corpses. Some rotting muscle and flesh still clinged to the horrific scene, and a few traces of ruined cloth indicated that these must have been the former users of the temple. However, the biggest thing was the fact that several swords still stuck out of the bodies; they looked almost exactly like the swords the guards in Porre had used. They even had the same symbol of an impaled skull on their hilts.
However, one weapon was different. It bore the symbol of what looked like a strange, six-pointed flame. The hilt was apparantly made of gold, indicating someone of high rank. Also, this blade had barely rusted, indicating that it was placed here much later than the others.
Hinding the sword under his cloak, Dion went to the temple door and kocked loudly. A slider opened, revealing an old man with yellowed teeth, maddening eyes, and a completely bald head. “What do you want, stranger?”
Dion flashed the medallion. The old man smiled, nodded, and opened the door. “Welcome to the Iron Brotherhood.”
The old man from Porre snuck out through a small hole in the wall and headed back for the temple. The panic in the city was too much, and he prayed for the safety of his two friends inside. He hoped they would make it back, as well.
(to be continued)
Right now I’d start getting MIGHTY nerbous if I was Dion… ^^;;
hides Mweep.
Chapter 11: The Journey Begins
The inside of the temple was no better than the outside. The walls were cracked and covered with mold. Cobwebs hanged everywhere. The pillars were long-since abandoned and crumbling. Only a handful of torches lit the interior, and several robed men walked to and fro in seemingly random directions.
Dion took a few steps forward, then felt the step beneath him crumble. Everyone’s eyes now focused on him, with whispering and murmering coming from everywhere. Finally, all their eyes moved towards the sound of a door slamming. The masked man that Dion had met in Porre entered the hall and approached the front.
“Dion,” he said, “follow me. We must talk in private.” He then led Dion through several interconnecting hallways and passages, finally leading to what seemed to be the man’s private chambers. Books and scrolls were piled inside in a haphazardly manner. Dust and cobwebs had settled onto practically everything. The only furnishings were a small cot, a large bookcase, and a small, circular table with two chairs.
The man sat on the far chair and motioned towards the other. “Please,” he said, “we must hurry.” Dion took his seat and looked intently at the man’s eyes. He could sense that something very wrong was going on.
The man unfurled a map and put it on the table. He pointed at a small island that read “Arni”. “This island,” he said, “is said to contain something vital to the battle against Lord Shadow. As I said, this was where Lord Shadow waged the battle that destroyed the resistance. However, before leaving, one member of the group wrote a message to others that would follow.” He pulled out an old scroll and unfurled it. There was no mistaking the writing; Dion recognized it as that of Zeal.
“This scroll,” said the man, “speaks of an ancient weapon, one that was said to have been infused with the ability to defeat wizards of Lord Shadow’s ilk. They called it…the ‘Masamune’.” The man’s voice bore a hint of disdain at the mentioning of it. “Anyway,” he continued, “it is vital that we set off for Arni as soon as possible. Please, you must help us.”
Dion didn’t believe this. They were sending him on nothing more than a foolish treasure hunt. And yet, there was something about the sword, this “Masamune”, that fascinated him. It took him little time to decide.
“Yes.”
The old man listened to Dion’s answer through the door. He was quite pleased.
(to be continued)
Ratz, not another one I have to wait on… good anyway!
Ah, now we’re getting somewhere… kinda. Good chapter, Gallo 
I was going to write a chapter, but I’ll be out of town most of the day. Tune in tommorrow.
Chapter 12: The Ruins of Arni
Dion and the man left immediately for a small dock. After boarding a small fishing boat, they set off for the island of Arni. Dion opted to stay above deck most of the time, while his companion remained in the hold, planning how they were to search for the sword.
As they drew nearer to the island, the water itself began to reflect a change. What was once clean, blue water was now covered in some kind of green moss. Not a single trace of life was to be found anywhere. In fact, occasionally, the corpses of dead birds and fish were to be found, as if their very presence in this area had caused their deaths.
Finally, the ship came to a moss-covered shoreline. The sand itself was stained red with blood, and still-rotting corpses were found everywhere. Broken weapons were found by a few, indicating that at least some resistance had occured. However, most seemed to have been hiding or cowering amongst the rocks.
The two left the boat and continued deeper onto the island. Finally, they reached the village of Arni. Like everything else, it was in complete ruin. The buildings had been razed and burned, with only a bit of debris to signify their existance. The amount of bodies continued to grow, and now it appeared like they were just stacked here and left to rot, unlike the others, which laid where they fell.
They pressed on towards the other side of the island. Suddenly, something went across Dion’s leg. Thinking it was only a piece of bone or a stick, he turned to brush it off. However, an arm from one of the rotting corpses had grabbed tightly onto his leg. To his surprise, the thing began to stand up, along with the others. Moaning and screaming, they pressed towards the two.
Dion quickly sliced the arm off the one that was holding him, then cleaved another three in half in one strike. The man began to beat them back using his staff, often crushing the creatures’ skulls in with one strike. However, they were soon overwhelmed.
Dion struggled to call upon his power, but to his dismay, it refused to reveal itself. Suddenly, an enormous explosion of energy rocketed through the center of the zombie ranks, blowing about three-quarters of the things apart. The man struggled to catch his breath as he recovered from the strain of the spell he had just used. Dion finished the rest of the zombies off with a few sword slices, helped the man back to his feet, and walked towards the shore.
“Ghouls,” said the man, as if anticipating Dion’s question. “The poor people who died here were cursed to roam their island, killing whatever semblance of life dared to venture here. Hopefully, they will find rest after Lord Shadow is killed.”
Finally, they reached the shore. Strangely, this section wasn’t nearly as destroyed as the others; in fact, it still had some semblance of purity to it. Mystified, Dion walked towards the water, only to stop when a voice rang out in his ears. It sounded fairly familiar.
“Welcome, Dion…to your destiny.”
Suddenly, a swilring blue portal appeared directly in front of Dion. As if drawn by some kind of mysterious force, he passed through. The portal dissapeared once he was inside.
The man smiled. The old fool was still up to his tricks. At least Dion would find something of value…
(to be continued)
Neat-o, though the last line almost makes me smell conspiracy. I might just be paranoid though.
I will update this tommorrow.