WELCOME TO "AWAKEN"

Part 14 - Kogg's Aerial Ace

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Part 13 - Elemental Wisp Infestation

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Orvus and the old man stepped forward to get a closer look, and through the golden wall of energy they could make out orbs of coloured light floating carelessly about the island. Blue, red, yellow, and earthy green orbs had populated the island. The elemental wisps dripped water and made it rain, kissed the air with fire and lighting, pulled minerals and salts in the soil and rocks to the surface, and scorched the earth beneath them as they coughed up raw elemental magics. Kogg landed on the old man's shoulder, tired from flying and visibly shaken by the situation on the surface. “Rest up, Kogg. Save your strength,” the old man patted Kogg lightly then turned to Merobaku for their next move. “Once I get us through the defensive barrier of light,” Merobaku started, “the elemental wisps will be attracted to any magics cast by us, and the energy within the stone.” “Great, that makes me a target,” lamented the old man, “I think it best you take the stone, Merobaku.” Merobaku agreed, took and stuffed the stone into her armour. With one fell swoop of her arm, she locked her wrist in position and manifested her spear, Wasp Nettle, from thin air in a brief flash of light. She rested the base of the spear on the ground firmly, looked directly at both Orvus and the old man and asked if they brought weapons of their own. The old man took from his pack his dagger with a dark wooden handle, unsheathed it and held it up for Merobaku to see. Orvus whipped out a handful of elemental prime magic spell scrolls. Merobaku frowned at the both of them, “Stay behind me and I'll cut us a path.”

Part 14 - Kogg's Aerial Ace

Worried over Kogg's exhausted state, the old man turned to Orvus, “Do you think you could spare a hasty moment and heal up Kogg before we breach the barrier?” The old man took Kogg gently from his shoulder into his arms and held him up for Orvus. Orvus tucked the elemental prime scrolls under his arm and placed both hands on Kogg, one on his head, and another on his back. “This shouldn't be too difficult,” muttered Orvus, clearing his mind of noise. He started the incantation, “Dance to the Aegis' melodic torrents, oh prolific and precious manna of the winds of old. Come forth as a furious force of light, revitalize this body in your solemn hold.” Kogg was enveloped in a cool, white light which swirled about him and then disappeared into his jet black feathers. “Well done, Orvus,” delighted the old man, “How do you feel, Kogg?” Kogg cawed happily and bobbed his head at Orvus, stretched his wings wide and gently lifted off from the old man's hands and came down moments later atop Orvus' head. “Hahah! I think he's taking to you, Orvus,” said the old man, concealing a palm full of berries towards Orvus. Merobaku watched curiously as Orvus subtly took the berries and offered them up to Kogg, one by one. As Kogg consumed the last berry, a tremendous idea occurred to Merobaku and she didn't hesitate in sharing it.

“We're going to have the bird act as our aerial magic caster,” Merobaku suddenly declared confidently. The old man and Orvus fell dead silent and just stared at each other with awe-inspired facial expressions. Before either of them could speak, she continued and approached Kogg, “With the small magical charge that now resides in this raven, it may be possible for him to cast a few primes and cover our perimeter.” Kogg cocked his head and looked up at Merobaku. The two just stared at each other before the old man broke the silence. “When you can no longer cast, return to one of us right away,” he said, with the knowledge Kogg was smart enough to understand. Full of energy, revitalized, and recently fed, Kogg let out a roar of hearty caws, his signal that he was ready to go. “That settles it,” lead Merobaku, “everyone make a chain connected to me, and I'll get us through the barrier.” The old man directed the group to the southern end of the barrier and together they all passed through. The barrier warped around them with the feeling of a fine electric sand-paper as it hissed and crackled on exposed skin.

When the group reached the other side, they didn't waste time standing around. Each one broke into a jog which triggered Kogg to take to the air from atop Orvus' head. From the air, Kogg could see dozens of elemental wisps of various colours littered about the island. An earthy-green wisp, enticed by the stone's magic, approached from the left, “Earth elemental!” Orvus called out. Being the closest to the wisp, the old man readied a prime water spell and hastily read the incantation silently within his steadied mind, “Water of the winds seeking a path, unite here and crash with mighty wrath.” The old man held off on the release of the spell until the wisp was in range. It's earthy-green glow flashed with hostility at the group as the cloud of dust which swirled about it violently coalesced into shards of fused minerals and metals absorbed from the surroundings. It was now or never. Orvus grew weary of the closing distance and nearly charged his own, when the old man raised his arm and simply said, “Crash!” A orb of water swelled up beneath the wisp and rose up. It grew it size encasing the earthy wisp in a torrent of swirling water. The wisp launched the metallic mineral shards at the group but Merobaku stepped in front. She managed to deflect a few with her spear but a couple made it through and embedded themselves in her golden chest plate. Merobaku stepped forward heavy once, twice, and then launched her spear at the wisp on her third step. The spear pierced the wisps rocky defences and the water seeped in. Merobaku closed the distance, grabbed her spear and then sent a shock wave of lightning through it before yanking it free. The wisp coughed up stones and collapsed onto the ground with the water rushing outwards. Its' lifeless remnants lay cracked and collected neatly into a pile of various sizes of stones, minerals, and metals.

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“Let us not linger,” shouted Merobaku, “more will come!” The old man looked to Orvus who stood up and continued forward with the group. Kogg called out the safe path to take from above doing his best to avoid encounters with the wisps. “Two more up ahead,” shouted Orvus to Merobaku. Merobaku readied her spear in one hand and an eigen lightning spell for the water wisps in the other. Kogg let out a warning cry to the group, but they were distracted by Merobaku's fighting prowess. There was no time to spare, Kogg let out one last warning cry as he dove towards the right of the group. The old man looked back at Orvus and coming up behind him was a lightning wisp. It's yellow glow electrified the air with sparks of fury and lightning as it kissed at the air. The wisp was building up energy and readied an attack when Kogg came in from above and slammed a magical earthy stone larger than himself right through the centre of the wisp. The wisp burst open and spilled forth raw magics that bubbled and boiled away on the ground as its' remaining lightning crackled away into the charged air. Kogg cawed back pleased as the old man cheered in amazement. Orvus collected himself and shouted words of thanks up at Kogg before catching up with the old man. Merobaku had slain the two water wisps while they were distracted and was waiting for them up ahead with a clear path.

Awaken

Part 01 - Message to Orvus
Part 02 - The Lake Beckons
Part 03 - Night of Rest
Part 04 - The Tomb's Secret
Part 05 - The Deep Gouge
Part 06 - Dismay Down Deep
Part 07 - Orvus Restores Order
Part 08 - Magic Sans Scroll
Part 09 - Clear Path Provided
Part 10 - Trace The Key
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Poem 01 - Immortals of the Aegis
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Part 11 - Eigin Rooted Magic
Part 12 - Ancient Koaj'kah Magic
Part 13 - Elemental Wisp Infestation
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Poem 02 - Elemental Call Song
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Part 14 - CURRENT
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