Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 14:05:46 -0800 (PST) From: Really Bigdreamer Subject: Pop Magic Chapter II 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: I know I said I'd submit Chapter II next week, but I've got LOADS of mail (thank you all, keep it coming!) and I felt like I needed to get out Chapter II this week instead of next. Hope you like and don't forget to send feedback: reallybigdreamer@yahoo.com Previously: Prince Justin of Luthinia was kidnapped and Joshua Chasez, son of the legendary knight Jonathan Chasez, appeared at the castle. Joshua defeated the greatest knight in the kingdom and set off to rescue the prince. He immediately encountered a friend of his, Lancelot, an apprentice of the greatest sorcerer to ever live, Merlin. Lance joined the adventure, but they were being followed by something and Lance uncovered a forest elf. Refusing to explain himself the elf called for help, and an ogre has appeared and threatens to destroy the duo before their adventure truly begins... Chapter II: The Unlikely Pair Joshua and Lance stood with mouths agape, frozen in fear. The little forest elf managed to struggle from Lance's spell and scuttled quickly behind the large ogre's foot. Large indeed, standing at least ten feet tall it towered over the two young men. Its skin was leathery, and a very pale green in color. A large cloth covered itself. It held a wooden club in its right hand that must have been at least five feet long and thick as a tree. It bellowed loudly to shake the two from their trance and they took a few steps backward, never taking their eyes off of the ogre. "Do something," Joshua whispered. "Like what?" Lance asked confused. "You're a wizard aren't you?" Joshua replied angrily. "I'm still being trained it'd take several minutes for a wizard of my level to work a spell intricate enough to take down an ogre," Lancelot explained, then added, "especially one this size." "I've seen bigger," Joshua said courageously as he unsheathed his sword and stepped forward. "As have I," Lance said to himself as his friend continued to stride forward, "though if not for Merlin I wouldn't have lived to tell the tale." The ogre bellowed again to try to scare Joshua off without a fight, though Joshua had been taught to not show fear, something that he had failed at a few moments earlier. Joshua began to size up how to strike the ogre, who was at least four feet taller than he. Joshua twirled his sword around once to loosen his wrist and prepare to strike but was too late. The ogre brought his massive club down less than a foot away from where Joshua stood, and had sent chunks of earth spraying in all directions, which knocked Joshua off his feet momentarily. Only momentarily though as he quickly got up and lunged towards the monster's left calf with his sword. Making contact the sharp blade barely split the skin of the ogre, which sent a few spurts of dark green blood dribbling down the beast's leg. The ogre roared in pain and took a step back, the elf jumped high into the air from his perch on the ogre's shoulder, and landed right Joshua's head. Immediately Joshua grabbed the elf and launched him into the forest with the throw of one arm. He was unhurt by the elf, but that wasn't the elf's intention at all. His intention was to keep him occupied long enough to let his ogre friend gain balance and launch another attack, something that he succeeded at. Joshua stared up in shock as the mighty ogre tried to step on and crush Joshua. Joshua tried to run away quickly, but his foot was snagged on something. Quickly looking down he noticed that strange vines had wrapped up around his two legs, immobilizing them. He knew right away that this was the elf's doing, but it didn't matter now since the ogre's foot quickly met Joshua and knock backward. Pinned to the ground Joshua lost grip of his sword and pushed with all his might to force the five hundred pound ogre off of him, with no luck. Joshua was slowly being crushed to death when... With a might roar from the ogre Joshua's squinted eyes shot open to see a ray of blue energy shimmer to life and strike the ogre with enough force to send him flying several feet away and crashing into the heavily wooded surroundings. Joshua rolled over quickly and retrieved his sword before spinning around to see where the attack had come from. "Lancelot?" he asked when he spotted Lance standing there calmly, spellbook open in one hand as blue steam rose off the other. Lance stood grim faced as the elf ran over to where his wounded friend lay. The ogre slowly sat up, some twenty or so feet from where Joshua and Lance had gathered. "Good shot wizard-boy," he mumbled slowly in a very deep voice, though it was hard to tell whether he spoke slowly because of the attack or because he stupid, which was a common belief attributed to all ogres. The elf silently cast another spell and vines wrapped around Lance and Joshua. Lance waved his right hand and the vines fell off. "Told you forest elves had weak magics," Lance said to Joshua with a laugh, then he turned his attention back their new enemies. Both the elf and the ogre gasped as blue energy began to crackle around Lance's hand again. "Give up!" the elf shouted quickly in his high pitched voice. "Give up! Give up! Surrender, we do!" Lance dropped his hand and slammed his spellbook closed with the other, the energy faded away. "What are you doing?" Joshua whispered astonished. "How do we know they truly surrender?" "Elves do not lie," Lance stated matter-of-factly. "No matter the breed, forest elves, mountain elves, desert elves, snow elves, or whatever, an elf does not lie. They believe that their word, what they say to others, is the strongest thing they possess. Some say that if an elf lies it withers away and dies in agony, though this is just a myth and may not be true." "So he could be lying?" Joshua asked. "Doubtfully," Lance turned his attention to the unlikely pair, "what do you want with us?" "Thieves, we are," the elf explained. "Oh great," Joshua muttered as he turned slightly towards Lance, "they cannot lie, though they steal just fine, hmm?" Lance ignored him. "Thieves?" he asked curiously. "What do you want with human money? And attack the two of us?" "Saw heavy sacks that jingled from your horses, I did," the elf explained quickly, "thought it be money." "Again I ask, what do you want with human money?" "We give it to our friends," the ogre said slowly as it stumbled to its feet. "We've learned not all humans are bad and hate us. We give money to them for being kind. Sometimes we give money to bakers or butchers to finer foods than we get in the forest." "I see," Lance muttered under his breath, "though I doubt those bakers and butchers give them a fair price." "You realize that they must be taking advantage of them, the `kind' people they give money to that is," Joshua said, quickly losing interest in this. "No, no, no!" the elf shouted as he jumped forward closer to Joshua. "Kind to us, friends with us, they were, long before money, we gave them!" "I'm sorry, little one," Joshua said as he looked towards where the horses had run off, "but we must find out horses and be on our way." "Important mission, eh?" asked the little elf. "Yes and we really..." Joshua started to say. "We will come!" the elf chirped. "It will be a payback for attacking you and slowing you down today!" "Really, we couldn't..." Lance tried to turn them down politely, but... "Of course, we will," the ogre said as he lumbered over. "Who'd be foolish enough to attack an ogre, a knight, and a wizard?" "A-hem!" the elf cleared his throat. "And Christopher here," the ogre added with a crooked smile. This suddenly caught Joshua's interest. Perhaps having the two of them around would help. There were sure to be bandits on the road ahead, and the ogre did look fierce. Surely a person would be mad to try to steal from a group like that. The scuffle today had slowed them down, but without any further interruptions they'd be make it there much faster. "Alright," Joshua agreed, much to Lance's surprise. "Do you give your word this is no trick?" Lance asked the little elf. "I give my word or give you my life, I will," the elf said as he raised his right hand. "What in God's name is he talking about?" Joshua asked. "He means that he promises this is no trick," Lance explained, "and that if he goes back on his word you may kill him." "If it be a trick, kill him I will," Joshua said sternly as he thrust his sword back into its scabbard. "I am Christopher, this is Joseph," the elf said as he gestured to himself then to the ogre. "Nice to meet you," Joshua replied. "Now we must be off to look for our horses. It took nearly an hour to find Joshua's horse, which carried the gold, though a whistle brought Wind Rider back to Lance. They quartet set off again, Christopher on Joseph's shoulder, and one of Joseph's strides long being large enough to easily keep up with the horses. Hope you liked it!!! Remember to send feedback to reallybigdreamer@yahoo.com Look for Chapter III next week, RBD :)