Date: Sat, 26 Jan 2002 12:30:41 -0800 (PST) From: Really Bigdreamer Subject: Pop Magic Chapter III Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction and is meant to imply anything about any of the celebrities mentioned, which I am in no affiliated. Also, this story is not meant for those under age 18 or for those who find m/m situations uncomfortable. Author's Note: Sorry that this is so late, but there are a lot of reasons that it took me so long to do this. I'm really glad that a few people kept e-mailing me wondering what had happened, I really appreciated it. I hope you enjoy this one too, remember to mail me: reallybigdreamer@yahoo.com Previously: Prince Justin of Luthinia was kidnapped and his father, the king, sent Joshua Chasez, son of the legendary knight Jonathan Chasez, to rescue him. Joshua immediately encountered Lance, a sorcerer in training that has long been a friend of Joshua's. Before their adventure really began they were attacked by the unlikely pair of an elf and an ogre named Christopher and Joseph, respectively. After the pair was defeated they decided to join Joshua and Lance on their journey. Chapter III: Mind Games "This would make an excellent place to camp for the night," Joshua said as he strode into a small clearing off of the road they had been following. He dismounted and looked at the map. "We're making excellent time...at this rate we'll be there days ahead of schedule. Thank goodness we've had no more distractions since we met the two of you..." Joseph and Christopher did not reply, but simply stood there in the clearing, looking around suspiciously. "What is it?" Lance asked. "Nothing," Joseph said after a moment's pause. "Right," Joshua decided to brush it off, "we should gather firewood and food. Christopher, you guard the camp and check the surrounding area for twigs. Joseph, you look around for some larger branches for the fire. Lance and myself shall try to find us some dinner." He grabbed a small bow and a quiver of arrows from his steed and headed into the forest with Lance at his side. After they were out of earshot of their two companions Lance immediately brought up their odd behavior from moments before. "I don't like it, I think that they sense something that we cannot," Lance stated and he dropped a few twigs of berries into a brown sack. "You are a sorcerer, you can sense such things as well," Joshua whispered as he moved noiselessly between the bushes, "and I for one trust your instincts more than those of our new friends." "Yes, but they, especially Christopher, are very in-tuned with the forest, can hear and feel things that even the most powerful of wizards may miss," Lance pointed out. He pulled the strings at the top of the sack closed and dropped it into the deep, hidden pockets of his wizard's robes. Joshua raised his arm, a sign to stay and keep quiet, as he moved out from behind their place in the bushes and behind a large tree. He armed the bow and slowly slid out from behind the tree and pulled back the string. He lined up with the large, fat rabbit that was eating some of the same type of berries that Lance had just gathered. Joshua, an excellent shot, licked his lips at the perfect shot, but... "ARGGHHH!" Joseph let out a giant roar as he emerged on the other side of the tree, less than a foot from Joshua. The rabbit scurried away as Joseph peered down with hate-filled eyes at Joshua. "What are you doing, Joseph?" Joshua shouted as he stood up from his crouching position. "That would have made an excellent din -- UFF!" Joseph slapped Joshua aside like a rag doll and stormed off after him angrily. Lance, who was hidden from the ogre's view behind the bushes, immediately pulled his spellbook from another of his robe's deep pockets. He quickly turned the pages as the crazed ogre approached the winded Joshua. Lance quickly read the spell loudly and clearly in Latin. A greenish energy swirled around his right hand before shooting off towards the ogre. Joseph fell to the ground, chained by invisible magic chains that Lance had just forged around him. "What is the meaning of this?" Joshua asked as he got his feet. "What has...." But Joshua was interrupted as Joseph bellowed loudly, his voice echoing throughout the forest. "You shall die, Vangra! I'll rip you to pieces with my own hands!" "What?" Joshua mumbled confused. "Who is Vangra?" "Vangra is a thing, not a who," Lance explained. "Very rare and evil. They stand about the size of a man and dress totally in black robes to hide their true appearance. They slowly wander the forest and small villages killing whomever they find alone. Simply touching a living being will cause them extreme torture that the victim may never recover from, a continued touch will kill. They feed off that death and suffering." "But why does Joseph think that I...." Joseph squired and yanked at his invisible chains. Lance gasped, clutching his head, and staggered back. "He is too strong, my spell will not hold him long...we must find Christopher and see if these hallucinations have overcome in the past..." Lance explained and the two set off towards camp. "AHHH!" Christopher screamed as the two entered the clearing. "BACK! BACK!!!" "Christopher it is us...don't you...." Joshua was against cut off as Joseph stormed up behind them in a rush of anger. They took off running again since they needed a plan other than fight and kill their friends. "What is going on?" Joshua was more confused that ever. "I do not know, but I'm willing to bet there are powers that I cannot sense at work here..." Lance answered. "Either a very powerful wizard has masked his magic from me or there is no magic at all. But what could affect their minds in such a way other than magic...some type of potion maybe. No, we would have seen them drink it. Wait!" "What?" Joshua asked as he looked between a few shrubs from the attacking pair. "I think I may know what's going on..." Lance started to explain, "it makes perfect sense now! That's why the two could sense something when we first stopped and I could not! How come I did think of it before..." "What is it??" Joshua was getting rather impatient. "It's so simple, it has to be..." but Lance was cut off as Joseph stormed into their hiding spot with arms flailing. He picked up his massive club and looked at Lance with pure hate in his eyes. "I'm sorry, friend, but this could not be helped," Joshua said as he drew his sword and plunged it into Joseph's heel. With a roar of pain he took a step back and began to charge at Joshua now. "I would appreciate some help..." He dodged a swipe of the massive club and ran between Joseph's legs and stopped next to where Lance had been, but he wasn't there anymore. Joshua began to search for his missing friend, but he was nowhere to found. He ran away from the attacking ogre, fearing the worst for the missing wizard. "Joshua, I'm right here!" Lance continued to shout, but he could not be heard, nor seen by anyone. He knew that something was amiss now and had confirmed his suspicions. He drew out his spellbook and began to cast a long and complicated spell. Joshua turned and began to lunge, dodge, and retreat as he tried to hold off the mad ogre. Suddenly there was a flash like lightning and Joshua was pulled high into the air, hundreds of feet above the ogre and then he saw...Lance! "Lance? You hid yourself in the clouds?" Joshua asked, slightly impressed. "No, I've been on the ground with you the entire time, but I must explain quickly for this is a hard spell to maintain for very long," Lance explained as fears of the two suddenly falling quickly filled Joshua's head. "It's imps, it has to be. They use no magic, but when gathered together they can use some sort of...mind power to cloud the minds of others. Simple minds, like those of an ogre or an elf would be easy, but clouding yours to no long see must force them to be very near, that is why I brought us up here." "What can we do?" "Kill one, that will force them to break their...hold over you three and they will attack immediately. Be careful for they are small, though have tiny claws and fangs." Joshua could see that Lance was quickly tiring. "After that I will do all I can...watch for...red eyes...their eyes glow an evil red..." The pair began to slowly lower to the ground and when they reached it Lance seemed to disappear again. Joshua noticed that Joseph had taken off, but where he did not know. He rushed into the clearing where they had set up camp. The horses were still there, but Christopher was gone. He watched the darkened bushed that surrounded the camp. With the sun now set and no fire yet lit red eyes would be easy to spot. He rushed into the forest and heard a powerful roar. He spun to see Joseph charging at him. He drew his sword and prepared to fight back, but then noticed it. Two red dots in the bushes just past where Joseph had charged. He pulled the bow out and armed an arrow, firing into the bushes. There was a loud, high squeal and the two had to cover their ears in pain. Suddenly hundreds of red globes fluttered to life as Christopher scurried out to where Joseph was. The two looked at Joshua in horror, hadn't they just been attack a Vangra? They heard more tiny screams as the imps launched from their hiding spots all over the place, biting and clawing at the three. None of them seemed to notice more rustling in the bushes behind the scene, but they did soon enough. A bush exploded in a dazzling light as Lance hovered inches above the ground, light poured his every part of his body. The forest for miles must have been lit up as the imps shrieked in pain and scuttled away as quick as they possibly could. "Wh-what happened?" Joseph asked, rubbing his giant head. "Imps, it was all imps, but they're nocturnal...my light spell scared them away, they'll never attack us again," Lance explained as he stepped forward, still glowing slightly. "Why here were they?" Christopher asked. "Never venture out of their caves to they, too afraid of light." "A good question, but I'm afraid whatever did must have been powerful to scare hundreds of imps from their homes, which they normally protect with their lives," Lance began to mull it over in his head. "A problem for tomorrow," Joshua stated as he walked back towards their camp, "imps or not, there are still wolves and a long night for which we need a fire. Let us go..." I hope you liked it! Remember to send feedback or suggestions or cooking recipes or whatever: reallybigdreamer@yahoo.com Hope to have Chapter IV out a bit quicker, RBD :)