Chapter 20 Gamble

Song Kenny Rogers - Gambler  Lyrics Lyrics


Dad and stepmom got married, again.

Despite uncle Mage trying to prevent them. He fails so often, but I guess someone has to be the mage. Maybe the Rogues should give it a try some day, for the success, I mean. If that's the objective.

They had a nice honeynight.
I know, I was there, and so was the Mage and some special uncle.  I guess I would have had it more intimate but I think this was the way stepmom wanted it. And dad certainly did not have anything against it.

No, on the contrary he was counting and enjoying.  It was fun, but nothing compared to doing Titles.

Pure lust.

Yes, we had some seriuos necromancy fun. Some being few hundred times. That felt good. Uncle Mage is a real talent. I guess it goes with the love for dead trees he has.

Dad really loves zombies and mom did not seem to mind. I hope we got them pushed for better. It sure could not fail due lack of trying. Or could it?  They sure make it look like a lottery.

The outcome is still unknown.
Life is a gamble, says dad. Then you die.

I'm no stranger to Lady Luck either. No, sometimes it seems we are tied together.
Soulbound.

I once made a bet. Well, I do it often, all the time actually.

But this time was so much different.

- You want to play, boy?
- I am game. Never turning a good bet down.
- Maybe you should. You may loose. This is my game.

I had put all in. Not just gold. Not just the mountains.
Not just the mansion.
Not just my life.

Anything.

I am no fool. I had a strong hand, very strong. And an axe in it. A good one.

I had a backup hand too. What's gamble if you don't try and use the rules for your best? She will do her best to beat me. She always does. That's why I love her and her games. A great sport. Lots of fun and excitement. Sometimes Titles too.

I knew what I was doing. For once I did.

I always have luck on my side. That's the key attribute of a Treasure hunter.
No way I will give up. 

No way, honey.

Bring it on!

She tried the music.
It made me look very good. Sexy.
I danced. I ducked. I Spun around.
Talked. Almost started to sing.
Tried to confuse her.
It felt good. She stared at me. I must have gotten her distracted.
I must be winning.
I was in flames.

But then it struck me.

I lost. Hands down.

Humiliated.
- Stand up and fight, she said, laughing.

I was being owned. Was it even the right game I was playing?
Had my luck failed me?


Let's hope better for dad and stepmom. I threw a coin for their luck.

It ended on the side. Draw. Only time will tell. Better than instant failure. Much better.

Life on the edge.  As the god testifies: It's my life.
Time to roll the dice.

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Chapter 19 The Knights

Song Bee Gees - Staying alive   Lyrics   Lyrics

The first knight I encountered was DeadonTime.
Wow.  Can you imagine, such a glorious name?

I'm a huge fan of his. And a shiny golden plated armor too.
Like a sun. But the sun is on the sky, how can it be on the ground too?

Too bad it turned out The Knight did not live up to his name too well.

HE DID NOT DIE! Not at all!

Instead, he stormed through the Mystic Altars of Minotaurs with me. Or in front of me.

I died, of course.
But not the Knight.

It's so hard to kill The Knight, especially when the stepmom is around.

The Knight also has very nice personality. Always. When they enter the room, they pull everyone's attention immediately.

Except Jotunn, who is the most skilled of them all.

He does not pull everyone in the room. He pulls everyone in all the nearby rooms, sometimes few big ones too! That what I call mastership. He's so talented in it. I adore him. With such a swarm of fans around, it's so easy for me to die bravely. And dance with the blades, with the mobs, not with The Knight.

The Knight makes a terrible partner to dance with, since they just stand in a place and swing with their mighty shield. It looks great, but it's not deadly. He probably did not read the instructions or had then the wrong way.

I think The Knights fancy about us rogues, with their shield. It's like a dagger, just a million times larger. I think The Knights must have some kind of complex about size.

Poor Knights, not everyone can be perfect. Oh, this reminds me about Taimps The Fast Hands. He's a half rogue, which makes him a half sane one, hih!. He uses blades on both hands. And he can truly do Dance of Two Blades.
That's really something to watch!

And I watch it often, when I lie on the ground.

I have this friend called Knighttemplar. Can you imagine, he's a knight and owns a temple? I think that's why he's so good when we go into old temples to do some weeding. Nice chap, who likes the football a alot. I don't mean the football the Mage talks about, where you carry the ball in your hands. Silly mages, know nothing about football. Sometimes he loves the football so much I get to die a lot. Such a fine man he is. The Knight I mean, not the mage.

Knights are the foundation of the cake. Essential to keep it all together.

That's a good thing, in case you did not know how to make a cake.

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Chapter 18 Hall of Survivors

Song Bon Jovi - Live before you die  Lyrics  Lyrics

I once told you briefly about Hall of Survivors.

It is a nice place just outside Varanas. Well, if you start walking in the morning, you'll be there before supper. Unless you stop for the supper earlier.

A big cave dug into the mountains. Not my treasure mountain though. Or who knows? I have yet to claim this mountain  though.

We like to go to a family picnic there. I'll tell you how we do it.

First when you enter, go left. Sneak on the left wall, until you come to a bridge. There, have a first snack, since it was a hard walk, all about 80 paces for me, less for stepmom since she has those fast legs to run with and nice to look at, not like dad or me at all. 

Time for first taste of blood of the picnic! Yell the berserk warcry and charge in, tickle  a few times with the dagger, slash with the axe and so, the magnificent Andriol is down. Even mom got a few ice spills on him.

Next rush forward on the right wall, until you come to a tight bend to the right. Don't make a fast U-turn here, but check where the patrols are. Run between the patrols to the other side, to the fence and continue forward to the big pillar. Turn left, avoid patrol, run forward and left to stairs down.  Go round the patrols on the platform.

Stick to the left wall and pass the big guys. They can rip your clothes. I don't mind, since I don't have clothes, I look good without them, but mom and dad could loose their nice clothes, would be a shame. Have you seen them naked? I have, couple of times. Sad story, really.

Now you see Glamo .  Time to stop for a quick drink on a potion, and then, with the lightning speed storm in and around the poor giant, dancing with the blades. Quick check of the treasures, don't forget the mementos and forward!

Run on the right wall until you come to a bend, then avoid the patrol and head forward over a small bridge over the lava. Lava is hot, I don't recommend to fall in, unless you want to be a roasted chicken. They taste good. But I'm not chicken! Not at all.

You face few big guards. Ignore them, turn left, up the stairs, but not all the way. Go right, and towards the fence on the other side, avoid the big guards again. Follow the fence and make a tight U-turn to the left.

Now comes a fun part.

There are 4 guards ahead, very close to each other. It's quite difficult to sneak past them. Of course there are few ways to pass them and not to kill them, but where would the fun be there? So, just charge in and dance with those poor guards. It's a great way to gain rage for the next boss too.

Enter the boss room. Sharpen your blades and engage. Better for you to step on the white ring which appears on the ground, since it helps you. Let it all loose, this one has tough skin. Easy but a bit long fight. Might even break a sweat. Loot quickly and forward! Poor Guldamor.

Turn right at the post of the fence, avoid the big guards and head to the fence on the other side. Go down and avoid the patrol. There is a great room ahead. Full of big guards! More rage to be carried over to Vrantal. Stepmom says I look go like a whirlwind when I dance with those. It feels good. I feel so alive!

Next room is huge. Don't look at the wall nor ceiling, you won't see them. There is a boss ahead. Go in, yell the warcry again and start the chopping. Takes a while since he likes to hide sometimes. Just wait a bit and he comes back and continue. He will be down soon and Mom get's him iced too. Do you know the sound of an axe cracing a frozen skin? That's a really nice sound. I like this double teaming.

After the XL-giant is down, continue again forward. Only bodies behind so why go that way? The fun is ahead. Or not so much fun, sadly, no so much death. But more ahead than behind. That's the way, you can do it.

Go on mainly on the right wall, next to the fallen pieces of wall, avoid the nice bladed guards until you come to the stairs leading upwards. Go round the one on stairs, then run between the two on the wider part of stairs. Stop to check the situation at the pillar.

There is a patrol ahead. And a fat guard. They pose no threat when stepmom is around, but they make the picnic slow.

There is a small opening when the patrol has passed you towards the stairs, when you stand next to the pillar. Go between the patrol and the far guard and follow the corridor to the right. Run on center to avoid more fat guards. Go round the patrol, turning to left, and then turn right again. Go on left side where some wall pieces are on ground, through the opening in the wall.

I think dad was berserk here on some earlier run and broke the wall with his axe. I apologise on his behalf!

Continue on the right wall, until you see a slope upwards and bridge on the left side, avoid the bladed guard.  You enter Zygro's lair.  Just remember to wield the blades, no buffs needed for her. Easy  cake. Us eat the cake, remember?

This is where we have the family picnic festival since we would need more blood to press forward.
We dine with the music, of course. Mom plays tambourine and dad and I try not to embarass ourselves with the rattle and saxophone.  Failing, easily. Enjoying some cake.

Can I have one more bite, please?

Chapter 17 Die hard

Song:  Sunrise Avenue - Lifesaver     Lyrics  Lyrics
The blood was once again running, dancing around. We had to stop for a small while to catch a breath.

Suddely Master Daimon had an eerie look in his dark, strong eyes.
I asked him, what't wrong.
- Nothing, I just remembered something, a nice experience.

- Please share with us.

So he started a story, his voice was weak, almost whispering. Not at all like his usual loud and self confident self. I looked at others, we were all a bit worried now.

I once encountered a shaman in an ancient, snow buried temple. I talked to him.
Then I heard a very loud yell.

A huge minotaur statue in front of me started to move. It was angry, looking at me.
Maybe it was hungry.  I do not know what minotaur statues eat, but I did not want to be an appetizer nor dessert.

So I took my axe and stood there ready.  It charged at me.
You all know how I deal with a charge? I charge back. Best defense is offense!
Two strong heads collided with each other, the earth trembled.

We started to tickle each other. I do not dance like some of those tiny rogues do.
I stand my ground and hit.
Hard. Very hard. I managed to cut through the giant's frozen skin, dropping big chunks of stone like meat.

The giant minotaur jumped. The earth trembled again.
I fell.  Everything started to fade away. I was already facing the ground.


But then I was strong again! Filled totally. So strong.
I glanced around, trying to come up with some battle tactics. I saw a sudden flash peeking behind a tree trunk and I felt like a goddess had touched me, revitalised again. I felt sexy too, my muscle growing. I saw a small fairy too, flying in around

I bit my lip and charged in again. Some more grave wounds on the giant. I could feel my energies returning to me even though I was bleeding.

I was hit hard again. And again. My chains were falling apart. A link after link falling to the blood covered ground.

My nose touched the ground, my eyelids closed. It was all over. I was giving up.

No, I was up again. I felt hot and angry. I felt rage rushing through my veins. I grew bigger.
Then I heard a familiar voice coming behind a tree.
- Take it down Handsome, you can do it. I won't let you die.  I grinned.

My mighty axe swinging I charged again. With a loud snap I saw the giant's left leg breaking, the bone giving up on the axe.  The minotaur fell. 

She's my life saver. The master of them all. She has taught every good Priest I know.
he concluded.

We all listened in awe.

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Chapter 16 A girl in distress

Song  The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Your Guardian Angel  Lyrics  Lyrics

I was wandering in Aslan.
Dancing with the goblins. They have a mine there. Not a big one, but I guess it's good for goblins. and there were plenty of things to do.

Suddenly, with a bunch of goblins with their trash around my feet I hear a cry. Full of fear. And despair. Another goblin was coming to greet me.

I closed my eyes, extended one hand out and started spinning around. When I stopped, my finger pointed towards a hill. This is a professional way to find treasures when you are in no position to roll a dice. For a professional treasure hunter. That storming goblin had accidentally stumbled on the axe that was still in the extended hand, spinning around. Poor thing. The axe was bloody.

So, to the hill I guided my reindeer.

Yes, I had discovered a pack of reindeers recently. I kept them in small bags in my backbag. Some kind of iivil majik. But there was the yell so don't think about reindeer now.

There was a young girl, about my age, who was attacked by a Furious Goblin. Axe in one hand, dagger in the other the Guardian came in for the rescue.

Ouch, the furious goblin bit me to the wrist when I was pulling the dagger out.  Ouch, that hurt! Really.  My left hand started to feel numb.

Now, what is this? It does not hurt at all anymore.
A wonder! So much better than salve.

The goblin was long dead already, but I was astonished, even stunned. By the wonder, both wonders. This could be a life sentence.

She was stunning. Very nice. Good to stare at. And great lungs too. To call for help, I mean.

- Hello my Guardian, I am Zylene.

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